A New Guardian
by sido4727
Summary: Man in Moon has picked a new Guardian, much to the dismay of Bunny. It doesn't help that the new pick has a bad reputation with him. But, when Jack hits his lowest point, Pitch decides to attack again. Adding to that, a new enemy comes to light at the same time, and if they join together, the pair will be more powerful than ever. Will the Guardians be able to save the children?
1. A Savior

**Chapter 1: A Savior**

A baby cried, its skin getting too hot. All around him, flames licked at the box and walls surrounding him. The simple, one-story house was red with fire, burning to the ground as the night made the flames brighter. The wind blew, moving the flames even faster, and ever so closer to the 6 month old child.

Outside, the boy's parents were trying to get away from the fire. Rather, the mother was screaming as her husband was pulling her away from her burning house, trying to talk some sense into her, his Scottish accent getting thicker as he kept talking. They were dressed in day to day 17th Century attire, as it appeared they had just put the child to bed.

The forest that engulfed the house and nearby barn was thick, but there was a road that led away from the house. Desperate, the man was half dragging, half carrying his crazed wife away from the fire. She kept screaming, cursing at her husband and calling out her son's name into the moonlight, reaching out desperately, as if she could grab him.

Finally, the husband put his wife down on the ground, about to yell at her again. As he looked down at her, though, he stopped. She had ceased with her yelling, and was now staring behind him, shock over her face.

He turned, trying to see what had quieted his wife. Behind him, a thick fog had engulfed the forest, blocking out the fire. It had come in fast, faster than usual and the forest was quiet now, and still. Too still.

The couple looked around, wondering if the wolves had come looking for easy prey, or maybe a bear. Their fear made them forget about the fire for a moment, until they heard a baby cry.

The woman stood up next to her husband, both of them listening intently, praying they hadn't gone crazy.

The baby cried again, in the direction of the burning house. The couple immediately began to run, hoping their ears weren't deceiving them

As they got closer, they abruptly halted as a ghost-like figure appeared in front of them. It floated just above the ground, looking like a cat-sized blue flame. "The willow wisps," the mother said, her Scottish voice lowering to a whisper. It disappeared, and another appeared deeper into the fog.

Cautiously, the man began to follow the spirit, stepping carefully, reaching out his hand. He was within arm's reach when the second blue figure faded away, a third fading in. They followed the trail of blue.

The last wisp floated above where the front door of the house used to be, and vanished. The couple stared at their ruined home, the black ashes covering the ground. Everything was destroyed, except for a lone box in the center of the ash field.

A laugh came from the box, and the parents walked forward, warily. As they came closer, they looked inside. As if a miracle had happened, the baby lay there, wriggling, no harm to his precious body. The woman let out a sob, picking up her son, causing him to cry out. The man laughed nervously, then stopped, staring around him. The fog was gone, it had left just as fast as it had come.

The woman kept crying, holding her son close, whispering half to herself and half to her baby boy. The moonlight made her pale face look white, and her son looked the same. With relief washed over her face, she looked up at the moon, saying:

"Thank you, thank you for saving my son."

Little did they know that the person who had saved their son was standing just inside the forest, her big, dark green eyes with gold flecks watching their every move.

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**Hey guys! Please review! It really helps and I enjoy it!**

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	2. Into the Fog

**Chapter 2: Into the Fog**

370 Years Later

The Moon shone over a small town at the edge of a forest. A cold wind blew past buildings, telephone poles, and cars that had a light dusting of frost on them. A young man's laughter filled the silence as he flew over the road, his white hair glinting in the moonlight. He shot into the air, his figure being outlined by the moon. A teenaged boy in a hoodie with a hooked staff paused in front of it, a big smile on his face, full of laughter.

"How was that, Manny?" Jack Frost asked just after pausing to look at the Moon. He laughed, then turned back to the town, admiring his work. The new silver polishing looked absolutely beautiful. "Beautiful, isn't it?" Jack sighed as he put his staff behind his head, proud of himself. Shaking his head, he said, "Why do I never come to Scotland?" Suddenly he perked up, looking at the surrounding forest. Fog was rolling in.

Curious, Jack flew into the woods. He had always wondered where fog came from, but never bothered to ask the fellow Guardians. He landed, stepping through the foggy grove, looking around. "Hello?" he called out. The quietness made the Winter Guardian wary, so he got into a defensive position, holding his staff in both hands. He whipped around as some bushes rustled next him, and again when the noise came from the other side.

Jack stepped forward, a look of confusion on his face as he stepped closer to the shaking bushes. "AH!" He had gotten no more than three feet away when he jumped, falling on his back. His staff clattered to the ground a few feet away, just out of arm's reach, but Jack wasn't looking for it. "What?" he said, staring just above the greenery.

A blue, flame-like object about the same size as a cat was in front of the Guardian of Fun. He stood up, staring at it while he took a few steps forward. He stopped, his curiosity taking over. "Wha-what are you?" he questioned, tilting his head to one side. It didn't speak, and just stayed where it was.

"You don't talk much, do you?" Again, silence returned his question. "Well," he said, reaching for it, "I will admit, you're pretty cute." He spread out his hand to touch the floating flame, but it vanished at his touch. He gasped, pulling his hand back, then staring at it. He began to breathe heavily, worried that he killed his mysterious new friend.

Jack looked back to where it had once been and rushed forward. "Little spirit?" His call was returned with silence. Jack spun around, eyeing his staff on the forest floor. He picked it up, then jumped over the bush, his ability to fly helping him. Jack looked around him, then jumped again.

"Would you quit that?" The spirit had appeared in his face, making him jump again, but he didn't fall. "Hm…" Jack looked past his new friend, seeing a trail of blue lights. Jack turned back to the spirit. "Are those your friends? Huh?" It was gone again.

Jack looked around again, then stared at the nearest spirit. He stepped towards it, wary of what it could do. He gasped as it vaporized, pausing his approach. It didn't shock him as much this time, though, so he kept moving towards the next one.

It disappeared as the others had, so Jack kept following the trail. Eventually, he jumped up and began to fly low over the ground, following the trail of lights. They disappeared one by one, and Jack wondered why they were doing so.

Finally, Jack flew into small, misty clearing. It was still surrounded by woods, but it was open enough so that Jack could see the Moon. "OK," he laughed, "where are you guys?" Jack searched for the mysterious beings. He straightened himself, though, when he realized he was alone. He sighed in frustration.

"Come on, what did I do? I'm the Guardian of Fun! Don't you guys want to have a bit of fun?" Jack looked around hopefully, but frowned when the lights didn't appear. He sighed in frustration again. "Actually, I should get going. Some kids in Idaho need a snow day."

He was about to leave when a twig snapped behind. He paused, turning around, only to see a wall of fog coming at him. His mouth dropped open, seeing the 70 foot wall of grey coming, and it was coming fast. Too fast. He twisted around to see that it was surrounding him on all sides. After spinning all the way around, he saw a pair of blue eyes staring at him, coming closer. Jack tried to run, but realized that there was no way out.

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**Hey guys! Please review! It helps and I enjoy it!**

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	3. The Girl in the Fog

**Chapter 3: The Girl in the Fog**

Jack screamed in fear. In desperation, he jumped up and used his staff to freeze the creature in front of him. The fog swooped in on him, and a blow hit him hard in the chest. Everything went black.

"Wha-what?" Jack looked around, the fog was almost gone, now only about 4 feet high. Jack tried to move, then looked down at himself. He was frozen up to his shoulders in ice, _his _ice. Slightly confused and embarrassed, he grunted, wriggling around. No luck. An idea came to him, and he felt with his free hand for his staff. It was gone. He was powerless.

At that moment he heard laughter, a girl's laughter. Jack struggled to see into the fog, looking for the young girl. He saw a shadow standing a ways away, looking to be only a few feet tall. "Ok, yes, this is funny, but if you're controlling this, stop it, NOW!" Jack was now irritated, because the girl kept laughing. "I'm serious! At least get rid of this fog!"

At this remark, the girl's shadow stopped laughing, and moved her hands past her sides. The fog immediately disappeared. "It's not fog, it's mist!" she said. Jack glared down at her, realizing that he was about 10 feet off of the ground. She returned the glare, her dark green eyes flashing.

"Well," she said, grinning, "nice to meet you, Jack Frost." Her Scottish descent was betrayed by her accent and her long, flaming red hair. Jack looked her over. She was about his height, wearing jeans, brown hiking boots, and a black T-shirt. A green sweatshirt the color of her eyes was tied around her waist. In the moonlight, her pale skin looked white.

"Sorry it was like this, but I had to have a little fun with ya, ya know?" She snorted, "You were screaming like a wee baby girl!" She laughed again, and Jack tried to ignore her laughter. But he did have to admit, despite her rudeness, she was beautiful. "Yeah, I wish it was different, too." he said, now irritated and even more embarrassed. He looked down, noticing his staff on the ground below him.

"Hey, can you hand me that?" He wanted to get down from his icy trap. The girl stepped forward, spinning the staff as she picked it up. She wasn't tall enough to reach him, so she made a cloud beneath her feet. She floated up to him, laughing at his shocked face. "What? You didn't know I could make clouds?" she asked him. "Honestly, I didn't know a person was controlling mist, either," he said, "I didn't know you even existed."

She frowned at that remark, putting his staff into Jack's one free hand. "Nobody believes in me. Not even Santa or the Easter Bunny." Sadness swept over her eyes, which were not only a deep, dark green, Jack noticed, they had gold flecks in them. Jack unfroze himself, falling onto the ground again. "Oof!" he grunted, rubbing his head.

She laughed, made the cloud disappear, and dropped just in front of him. Unlike him, she landed on her feet. She reached out her hand to help him up. After she helped him, he said, "Wait, North and Bunny don't see you?" "No," she said, then laughed. "It's probably better if they don't. Especially Bunny."

Jack smirked, "Let me guess, you like to mess with him and his egg hunts?" "Yep, and you do, too, I know." Her quick retort made Jack laugh. "So, wait," he looked her over again, saying, "how old _are _you?" "I'm 18 years old. Or, at least I was when I died." Her response surprised Jack. "Wait. You, you died and now you're here?" "Yeah," she pointed at the moon, "Man in Moon told me."

Jack stared at her, then glanced at the Moon. "The, the Man in the Moon talks to you?" he said, turning to her. "Yeah." she said it suspiciously. "And, are you immortal?" "Yeah." the suspicion in her voice grew. Jack laughed, jumping up. "This is great! I've never met anyone that's my age before!" The excitement in his voice was obvious.

He noticed her confusion, so he said, "None of the other Guardians are even close to my age. I mean, I'm a 388-year-old stuck in an 18-year-old's body. I'm essentially a teenager. And so are you!" He smiled at her, laughing. She smiled back at him, and began to laugh, too.

"Your laugh is infectious." she said. "Yeah, I get that a lot," he said glancing at her, his hand behind his neck, "it makes sense, I mean, I'm the Guardian of Fun." He looked past her, noticing a little blue flame. "Do you see those flames?" he asked her. She turned around. "Yes," she said, "I control them."

Now it was Jack's turn to look confused. "They're called 'willow the wisps,' I use them to lead people away from danger, or to something good. Some say they help people change their fate," she shrugged, "I let them believe what they want." Jack jumped as a wisp showed up in his face. She laughed. "They like you." He turned to her, trying to save his pride, saying "So, what else do you control, other than the wisps and fog?"

"Rain, clouds, small snowstorms, nothing compared to yours, hail, sleet, and mist." Jack had to admit that he was impressed. "Wow. Wait, aren't mist and fog the same thing?" "No," she shook her head, "you can see farther into mist than fog. It's less dense." "Oh," Jack said, not quite understanding. He didn't bother to go into detail.

The two of them looked into the sky, noticing the Moon. "So, what made you come here?" the girl asked, crossing her arms. "Oh, I had just frosted the nearby town and was talking to the Moon when I saw the fog. My curiosity brought me here."

She smiled. "Ah, I see. Hey, look!" She grabbed his sweatshirt and pointed into the night sky. "the lights!" Jack looked up to see the Northern Lights shining above him, "Oh no." he said. "What?" she looked at him curiously. He looked from her, to the sky, and back to her, "Uh, I have to go." "Why?" Her curiosity showed in her eyes.

"Uh, I can't explain," he said, "I just have to go." He jumped up, flying into the air. As he got above the tree tops, heard her goodbye.

"Goodbye, Jack! Let's hang out again, sometime!"

In response, Jack flipped over, making it snow in the clearing. He heard her laughter fill the air as he got further away. He smiled and laughed in response, throwing his head back. Despite wanting to stay, Jack continued to fly north, wondering why the Guardian of Wonder had called them all together.

As he neared the pole, Jack realized he had forgotten to ask the girl what her name was. He glanced at the Moon, wondering what her name could be. It had to be something Scottish, that was obvious. He smiled, wondering when he would be able to see her again. That's when he saw North's workshop, and went to fly through the open window, a snowball for Bunny's head in his hand.

The Man in the Moon stared down as Bunny's irritated yell echoed out of the building. He knew full well that Jack would see the girl in the fog again, and it would be very, very soon.

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**Hey all! Please review! It helps and I enjoy it!**

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	4. Who?

**Chapter 4: Who?**

"Oh, get back here you bloody show pony!" Bunny yelled, chasing after a laughing Jack Frost. As planned, the well-aimed snowball nailed Bunny right in the face, causing him to run after his fellow Guardian. North and Tooth's yelling and Jack's laughter only made the rabbit's anger even worse, and Bunny's speed increased as he used the surrounding walls, pillars, anything to try and grab the thrower. Finally, Jack flew over the globe, Bunny jumping on top of it, and was mere inches away from grabbing Jack's foot when they were both grabbed by their legs.

They both yelled in surprise as the dream sand pulled them down towards Sandy, whose arms were crossed. He tapped his foot irritably, the look on his face showing his annoyance. Bunny and Jack, who were hanging upside down buy their feet, laughed nervously, Jack waving, both knowing better than to get on Sandy's bad side.

"Oof!" "Ow!" The pair rubbed their heads, sitting up in the spots that they had been dropped. "Couldn't you have been a little gentler?" Jack asked, looking at the Guardian of Dreams. The look on Sandy's face told him otherwise. "Well, you deserved it, not me!" Bunny's remark made Jack look up at the ginormous rabbit, who was now standing. "And why do you believe that?" he asked, standing up. "Because I was just minding my own business when you hit me in the face with a snowball!" Jack smiled, "Well, fun is my center, and you looked like you needed a bit of fun. Didn't you, wallaby?" "Wallaby? Well I can have more fun than you any day!"

North and Tooth looked at each other, smiling, as the two kept arguing. Sandman landed next to Santa, staring at the pair. Of course, they were ignoring the humored looks the others had on their faces. Finally, North yelled, "ENOUGH! Give me break, please. Every time Jack come in he throws snowballs. Bunny, you should know that by now." Jack smirked at Bunny. "And Jack, you know better than to hit Bunny in the face." "Hehe." Bunny laughed at Jack, glaring at him. "Molar, Seattle, Sector 8!" Tooth's sudden orders made everyone look at her in surprise.

Two miniature fairies were flying in front of Tooth. One, seeing the looks, immediately flew out the window to collect the tooth. "Sorry," Tooth said, "I can't stop working." The other mini fairy flew towards Jack, squeaking in joy. "Baby Tooth!" he said as the fairy flew into his hood. He laughed as she poked her head out. "It's good to see you, too!" he said as he rubbed her head with his finger, causing her to sneeze.

"So, why are we here?" Jack asked. "Yeah. Is Pitch back?" Tooth said, not giving North a chance to answer Jack. "Right," the Guardian of Wonder said, "Sandy came here yesterday saying that Manny spoke to him while he was giving dreams to children. That is why I called you all here tonight." Everyone turned to look at the Guardian of Dreams. "Well," Bunnymund said, "what did he say?" Sandy made a bunch of sandy symbols over his head, too quick for any of them to read. "Uh…" the Guardian of Hope said.

"What he is trying to say is that Manny thinks we need new Guardian." North explained. Bunny's typical answer followed immediately: "Wait, what? Why does he think we need a new Guardian?" Bunny scratched his ear. "I mean, we barely get along with Frozone over here." "Hey, I'm the one that defeated Pitch the first time!" Jack defended himself. Tooth got between the two, saying, "Bunny, Jack, enough!"

Everyone began talking at once, well, everyone except for Sandman, who was looking at the night sky. Moon looked down at him through the large window, obviously wanting to get started with telling them the big news. Sandy turned to the other four, who were still talking. He made a whip out of his dream sand and cracked it, getting everyone's attention and effectively shutting them up. They looked from Sandy, then to the sky, quickly realizing what was going on.

North stepped forward, saying, "Manny! How are you, old friend? Are you really picking a new Guardian?" In response, the moonlight shone on a giant "g" on the floor, causing it to open. "Uh, guys," Jack said, "what's going on?" A giant blue crystal rose out of the flooring. Tooth flew around, excited. "Jack he's showing us a new Guardian," she said, "their figure appears just above the crystal." She looked at him. "That's how we knew you were picked."

The Moon shone even brighter on the rock. "Please not the groundhog. Please not the groundhog." Bunny muttered. "North, do you have any idea who it could be?" Tooth asked the big man. "No. Maybe Leprechaun?" Sandy made a shooting star with some sand. Tooth grinned at him. "Oo! Good guess, Sandy! Maybe the Wishing Star!" Jack just stared in silence as the moonlight reflected and refracted off the crystal.

Everyone got quiet as the platform the crystal sat on stopped moving, excited to see who the new protector of children was. North wiggled his fingers in anticipation, staring at the crystal. A few seconds went by. "What?" North asked. "What?" Jack asked. "Do you guys see anything?" North asked his friends. "No." Tooth said. Sandy made a question mark above his head. "See? I told you. Maybe Moon decided to play an April Fools joke on us." Bunny said.

"Uh, Bunny, it's fall." Jack said. "Well, do you see anything in that crystal?" Bunny retorted, pointing with his boomerang. Jack stepped forward, looking into the glare. At first, he didn't see anything, but then he saw a pair of boots, then a pair of jeans, and finally a sweatshirt. "What? Jack, what do you see?" Tooth looked from Jack to the crystal as she said this. Jack didn't respond, staring as the girl's figure came to form. Suddenly, a low mist floated off the crystal, filled the room, blinding the elves and making Sandy float in the air.

"The girl in the fog." Jack whispered. "Who?" Bunny said. "The girl in the fog!" Jack said, turning to Bunny, a big grin on his face. "What girl in fog?" North asked. Jack turned to North, answering his question. "I was in Scotland today, and I met this girl who controls fog and other kinds of weather. _She's_ the new Guardian!"

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**Hey all! Please review! It helps and I enjoy it!**

**:)**


	5. Gemma Fogg

**Chapter 5: Gemma Fogg**

Bunny put up his paws in a 'wait a minute' position. "Ok, hold up. You're telling me that Man in Moon picked a Shelia that only _you _can see? How can we know you aren't lying?" "You just have to trust me on this one." Jack responded. Bunny looked at the others, saying, "I think this larrikin has kangaroos loose in his top paddock." Jack gave him a confused look, then ignored the comment.

Jack turned towards the window, saying, "Listen, I'm just going to go get her." Tooth stopped him before he could leave. "Hold on a minute, Jack. Why can you see her, but we can't?" Jack turned to her. "That's just it. You don't believe in her, so you can't see her. She sees North and Bunny all the time." Jack smiled. "She's a bit of a prankster. She loves messing with Cottontail's egg hunts."

"Hold it, so it _isn't _always you messing with my hunts?" Bunny seemed surprised. "No, like I said, she controls fog, not me." "So she's the bloody hoon that makes me get lost?" Jack brushed his hand through his hair. "Yeah, she didn't want you to know about that." "Well-" North cut Bunny off. "Bunny, we know you don't like miss," he looked at Jack, "miss?" "Uh." Bunny was even more irritated at Jack's answer. "What, you don't know her name? Well, this is just great. Who knows? Maybe she's his girl and be wants to go see her alone." "What? She's _not_ my girlfriend!"

LATER

Jack was relieved to land in the forest clearing again. Bunny had blasted him, Jack was sure it was because the rabbit was jealous that _he_ saw the new Guardian, not himself. Jack pushed it away, though, knowing that his job came first. On the plus side, he was happy to get to see her again.

"Hello?" Jack called. The clearing was just that, clear. No fog or mist was in sight. Jack looked around, wondering if any of the wisps were around. He suddenly noticed that the forest was extremely dark, and got into a defensive position. He looked up for the Moon, then noticed that rainclouds covered his view of the sky.

Out of the corner of his eye, Jack saw something blue near the ground. Craning his head to get a better look, he saw a wisp in front of him. Jack laughed out the word: "Hey." He smiled at the spirit, squatting. "Is your friend here?" Once again, Jack saw something out of the corner of his eye. Another wisp. Jack stood up, whipping around to see more of them behind him. More appeared, and soon they were surrounding him, rising into the air up to his face.

Thunder boomed. Rain began to fall down on him. The wisps got closer. Thunder boomed again. Jack held out his hands out on either side of him, trying to keep the wisps away. Lightning cracked and thunder boomed a third time, making Jack jump, loosening the grip on his staff. At that exact moment, fog surrounded him, and he found himself frozen. Again.

The storm and fog disappeared, along with the wisps. Jack heard some familiar laughter and saw the beautiful Scottish teenager, about to fall down on the grass because she was laughing so hard. Jack's annoyed face as well as the Jesus position he was standing in made her laugh even harder. "Ok, Foggie," he said, moving his free hands. "I know you think this is funny but I need to talk to you. Could you _please _hand me my staff?"

Jack hated being tricked, and the fact that she had done it along with knocking away his staff _twice _made him boil. "Keep the heid, Frostie!" She bounced forward, grabbing the staff. She looked it over. "This is cool, Jack. I didn't get a good look last time." "Yes, thank you, your Scotty-ness. Now, please give me that so I can get out of here." "My name's not your Scotty-ness or Foggie!" she said, pulling the staff away from him.

"OK then, Miss Persnickety. What _is _your name?" She glared at him. "Gemma. Gemma Fogg with two 'g's.'" "Well then, Gemma, can I please have my staff back?" She paused, "Yes, of course you can." She grinned, handing him his staff. As Jack reached for it, though, her face got serious and she yanked it back. "Why are you here, Jack Frost? What brings you to my forest again?"

Jack looked at her, annoyed. "Listen, Gemma. I need to tell you something very important, but I want my staff back first." "You want or you need?" "Listen, Gemma there is a lot at stake here." "Yeah sure! Now listen to me, Frostie, I know you need this staff to use your powers. _I_ have it so _I _have authority here. So now tell me, what news is so important that you come back here, without a warning, in a matter of hours after leaving without a goodbye?"

Jack sighed, knowing that arguing wouldn't help him, now. "OK, the truth is that the Guardians want to meet you." It wasn't exactly a lie, but he hoped she would go with it. She snorted. "Why in Moon's name would they want to do that?" "Because I mentioned that I had met you and they were curious." The look on Gemma's face told him exactly what she was thinking, but she said it anyway. "Jack, the way you left last night told me something important was going on, so I asked around. I know that the Northern Lights mean the Guardians are being called together. Now," she stuck the staff in his face, "tell me the truth."

Jack looked into Gemma's eyes, and soon became mesmerized by them. The gold flecks stood out against the green really well, and made her eyes sparkle. "Well?" she asked, impatient. Jack shook his head, then said, "OK, you want to know the truth? Man in Moon told us there would be a new Guardian. That's why the lights shone last night. The only problem was that I was the only one who could see who it was, and it was you. That's why I'm here."

Gemma staggered back, wheeling in surprise. "Me? A Guardian? Wha-why?" She looked up at the Moon. "Why should I be a Guardian? Wh-Why didn't you tell me yourself?" She went quiet, staring up at the sky. She leaned against Jack's staff, wondering. Jack cleared his throat. "Well, did you risk your life for someone else's?" She turned to him. "What?" "Before I died," Jack explained, "I saved my sister's life. That's why he chose me. Maybe it's the same for you."

"But, but I don't remember my life before I was Gemma Fogg." That remark gave Jack an idea. "Well here, if you give me my staff, I can take you to the North Pole. Then Tooth can take you to the Tooth Palace and you can get your memories back." He gave her his most adorable pleading look. "Please?"

The look on her face said that she didn't trust him, but she handed him his staff anyway. "Alright. But this does _not _mean I'm going to be a Guardian."

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**Hey all! Please review! It helps and I enjoy it!**

**:)**


	6. A Good Scare

**Chapter 6: A Good Scare**

Jack hopped through the open window of North's Shop, this time _without_ a snowball for Bunny in his hand. North broke away from his argument with Bunny as Jack landed. "Jack! Did you bring the girl?" "Yeah, where's your girlfriend?" Jack glared at Bunny. "She is _not_ my girlfriend, Cottontail!" "Bunny, enough with teasing!" North barked at the rabbit.

Jack searched the room. "Where's Tooth and Sandy?" "They had to work," North explained, "Ceremony won't be 'till tomorrow." "_If_ there's a ceremony." Bunny muttered. "What? Are you jealous that _I _saw her and not you?" Jack couldn't help teasing the angry animal. "No! I just…" Bunny quit talking, staring around the room. There was a low mist on the ground. "What?" North asked, "What is fog doing here?" "Oh, you shouldn't have said that." Jack said, flying to the top of the globe.

"Said what?" Both the other Guardians replied, looking up at him. Then North looked over to his left. "Bunny, do you see that?" he asked, pointed to a little blue flame. "Yeah, and I don't like it." "Oh, this is gonna be good." Jack said, sitting on his high perch from above.

The mist got thicker and closed in on the pair, forcing them to be back to back. Another wisp appeared in front of Bunny. "Crikey, there's another one!" he said, before throwing a boomerang at it. It hit its target, but the wisp appeared just as soon as it had disappeared. "What? Uh, North? These things aren't going to be easy to get rid of." "What makes you say so?" North said, turning to Bunnymund, "Uh oh." He squeaked, seeing that more wisps had appeared, and they were surrounding them.

Thunder boomed, making North and Bunny jump and gasp in surprise. The mist rose higher, along with the wisps, which were now spinning around them. Everything got closer. Bunny began to look left to right wildly, utterly terrified of the scene, while North watched what was going on in silence. That's when lighting cracked, and a large wolf appears in the flash of light, snarling. "AH!" Bunny screamed, hiding behind North.

North hadn't seen the wolf, but he did see something else. Just below the ring of wisps that were getting ever so closer were two glowing, blue eyes. Both North and Bunny stared as the circle of wisps broke, letting the eyes get closer. The ring closed again after the eyes went through, and kept getting closer, spinning around as they did so.

Bunny was now shaking like a leaf, hiding behind the big Russian man. "Bunny, man up!" North yelled, looking at him. He turned, finishing, "It's nothing to be-" He stopped midsentence, a growling wolf with two glowing blue eyes was in his face. "OK, be afraid." He said, before screaming while turning around. He pushed his friend ahead, yelling, "Run rabbit, run!"

The pair screamed as they ran through the wisps, not caring about anything other than getting away. Pretty soon they got to a nearby closet, opened the door, and shut themselves inside. They immediately heard laughter, and it wasn't just Jack's. Cautiously, North opened the door, he and Bunny peeking out. Jack was lying on the floor, laughing.

"Oh get over here you overgrown snowflake!" Bunny ran at Jack, looking about ready to claw his eyes out. Just as he reached Jack, though, a wisp appeared in his face again. "AH!" Bunny jumped away from the spirit, terrified. North laughed, and Jack, who had been sitting up, fell back again in laughter.

"Cottontail, meet a wisp." Jack said between laughs, wiping his eyes. North held his belly, himself about to fall over. "Jack, that was very funny." Jack sighed, finished with his laughing. "Oh, that wasn't me." Bunny glared at him. "Well if it wasn't you who was it?"

Jack stood up, grinning. He looked to his left. "Gemma, you've met Bunny and North. North, Bunny, meet Gemma Fogg, mistress of mist, fog, and other kinds of rainy weather." "Nice to finally meet ya in person." Gemma grinned at them.

North and Bunny stared at her, shocked. They weren't expecting this intro, obviously. She had been there the _entire _time. She returned the stare, smiling sweetly. "So, you're new Guardian. Welcome to the Pole!" North smiled at her. "I see you know Jack." "And you are Santa Claus." "Why, yes. And Bunny here is Easter Bunny." "Yes, I see him quite often."

"So, bloody hoon, you're the one who makes me lost, aren't ya?" Gemma stepped back, then glared at Jack. Irritated, she said "I thought I told you to not mention that!" "Uh, that slipped." He smiled sweetly at her. "Whoops." "Jack Frost you bampot!" She yelled at him, poking him in the chest. "You liar! I asked you specifically to not mention that! I-"

"Alright, alright, don't get off your bike, Scotty." Bunny said, grabbing Gemma's arm. "You can yell at your boyfriend later." She glared at him. "He is not my boyfriend!" Bunny scoffed. "Yeah, and Easter isn't a holiday." "Alright, that is enough, Bunny. Now, Gemma in your position as Guardian-"

"I thought I told Jack this," Gemma said, turning to North, "I am NOT a Guardian. Jack said that I could get my memories back from the Tooth Fairy if I came with him to the Pole." She turned to Jack. "And now we're going there."

Suddenly the room went dark. Looking up, Jack said, "Uh, Gemma, you can stop it now. We get the joke." "I, I'm not doing that." She stared around, looking just as confused as the others. Black clouds covered the ceiling, giving the room an ominous appearance. "Well, if it isn't you, then who is doing this?" Bunny gave them all a look.

Laughter filled the room. "Who is doing this?" A woman's British voice echoed throughout the room. "Who is there?!" North yelled. "It is high treason to yell at her Majesty the Queen. I can and _will_ put you in the Tower!"

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**Hey all! Please review! It helps and I enjoy it!**

**:)**


	7. Bloody Mary

**Chapter 7: Bloody Mary**

Everyone turned around at the voice. They looked on top of the globe, where the clouds opened up to reveal a woman. She was short, with piercing eyes. She wore a long, black dress, and a 16th Century headdress that covered her brown hair.

Her rough voice echoed again. "How DARE you not bow to the rightful Queen of England?!" North, Bunny, and Jack looked at each other, confused. Meanwhile, Gemma stared at the Queen, defiance on her face. The woman stared back at her.

"State your name, and your rank!" She ordered. "You know who I am. We've met in London." Gemma glared at the Queen. "Of course, your Majesty, your reign ended years ago. 1558, if I'm right. A new royal family rules England, and your family is no more."

"How DARE you speak like that to the daughter of Henry Tudor, the rightful heir to the throne!" "Uh, Gemma, care to explain?" Bunny muttered. The woman turned her attention to Bunnymund. "Do not mutter in front of me, rabbit. If I had my dogs here we would be eating you for supper. Now, repeat what you said to her."

The woman towered over them, her eyes seeming like they pierced the others souls. Bunny straightened himself, saying "I asked Gemma to explain what was going on." "Well, I can explain. I am Mary I of England, daughter of Henry VIII of England and his only wife Catherine of Argonne. I am England's first ruling queen, and am more commonly known as Bloody Mary. I haunt the lives of teenagers, bringing depression and anxiety to their lives, as I once was. My reign was sad, since I did not have an heir, and my wretched sister came to rule. Now, my reign will be forever, and you will bow down to me!"

Thunder boomed. Lightning cracked. Bloody Mary paced on top of the globe. "I have come to talk to our little Scottish woman tonight, and she WILL accept." "And why would I?" "Because I am the Queen! Most peasants would be delighted to see her Royal Highness. Now, come with me!"

Suddenly black clouds swarmed around Gemma, absorbing her body. Gemma yelled and tried to fight it, but couldn't. Bunny threw a boomerang into the clouds, but didn't do a thing. North took his swords and hacked at the wall of black, but, like the boomerang, didn't do a thing. North called the yetis, who had been sent back to work in the lower levels.

Jack watched in horror as his friend was being swallowed up, then turned to the Queen. Using his staff, he shot a stream of ice at her, trying to freeze her. She saw the move coming and lifted her hands, forming a wall of black clouds in front of her. Jack looked for Gemma again, but clouds were all that he saw. "No!" Jack shouted, reaching his hand into the wall. Nothing.

It was over. As fast as it had darkened, the room was clear, no clouds or creepy woman in sight. Gemma was gone, too. "Where's Gemma?" Jack asked, worriedly searching the room. North was already calling the other Guardians with the Northern Lights. Bunny was staring around, looking just as confused and shocked as Jack was. Finally his senses came back to him. "North, they need to get here, NOW!" Bunny said, hopping towards North.

This made Jack look at him in surprise. Why would Bunny care all of a sudden? Yes, he saw everything, but he really didn't like Gemma. North noticed, too, and asked, "Why do you care all of sudden?" "Because I don't like that Bloody Mary Shelia. Now, I can go get Tooth-"

"Oh, I get it," Jack said, smirking, "you're afraid of her dogs, aren't you?" "Me?" Bunny said. "Afraid of some little hounds? He he, no, not me." "Well, if you aren't afraid of them, then why are you so worried?" "Yes, Bunny," North said, turning to the rabbit, "Why are you so concerned? Do you like little Scottish girl?"

Both Jack and Bunny looked shocked at this remark. "What? No! She's Frozone's girl." Bunny said, pointing to Jack. "What? No! She is _not _my girlfriend!" Jack said, looking slightly embarrassed. North grinned, he loved messing with the two of them just as much as they did.

"North! We saw the lights!" Tooth's familiar voice called out from above. She and Sandy flew down through the window. "What's going on?" She looked around for Gemma. "Where's the new Guardian?"

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**Hey all! Please review! It helps and I enjoy it!**

**:)**


	8. A Snowstorm

**Chapter 8: A Snowstorm**

**NOTE: This chapter will include elements from my one shots.**

Tooth and Sandy shared depressed looks. The other three Guardians had just told them everything that had happened. "So, if Bloody Mary has her, where did she go?" Tooth asked. "I have no idea." North admitted, sadly. "Well, you've got to!" Jack blurted out, "I mean, you've been fighting Pitch for hundreds of years! How do you not know where Mary is?!"

Everyone glanced at him. "Jack, I understand you're upset," North said, "but Mary's never been a problem. Man in Moon hasn't told us anything. We can't do anything until we learn more." "But, but we can't just leave her with that witch!" "Jack, listen." This time it was Bunnymund. "It sounded like they've met before. She's as cunning as a dunny rat, and she scared the bloody daylights out of me and North. She'll be fine. Now," he said, putting his paw on Jack's shoulder, "why don't you go and see Jamie or something?"

Reluctantly, Jack had taken Bunny's advice and flown to Burgess. The Early Fall Sun shone brightly on his hair, making it glisten like fallen snow. He laughed despite himself, happy to be free from being cooped up at the Pole.

Jamie had grown old, and had given his son, Jack, the belief of the guardians. Now, Jack Bennett had his own kids, twins Heidi and Cole. The entire Bennett family had a special place in Jack's heart, and he smiled at the thought of the twins and their snowball fights.

As he arrived, Jack flew over to the top of Jamie's house. It had been a while since he had been there last, but he felt something odd about it. Cautiously, he stepped inside. It was empty. No furniture, no people, dust all over the room, and it was freezing.

"Jamie?" Jack called out. No reply. Jack began running through the house, searching every room. "Jamie? JAMIE?" Jack paused as he got to the back porch. Leaves dusted the ground, looking undisturbed.

Jack took off from the porch, searching for his first believer. He searched Jamie's normal hangouts, the local coffee shop, the grocery store, and the library, where Jamie told the kids stories about Jack and his friends. No luck. He tried Jack's house, he wasn't there. There, the Winter Guardian noticed something about the family: they looked saddened. Jack frowned, then left the house, still searching.

Finally, Jack decided to search the outskirts of Burgess. Eventually, he saw an older woman standing in an odd field of stones. Jack flew over to her, and noticed she was crying with a bouquet of flowers in her hands. She looked familiar, with her big eyes and blonde hair that was turning white. She didn't appear to see Jack, she just kept sobbing. After a short period of time, she kneeled down and put the flowers down in front of the stone. Then, she slowly turned away to the lone car in the parking lot.

Confused, Jack stared after her, then he ran to the stone. He took a step forward, reading the words on the stone. He jumped back in shock. "No, NO!" He flew away from the sight, reeling from the words carved into stone:

"I'LL NEVER STOP BELIEVING, EVEN WHEN THE CLOUDS BLOCK OUT THE SUN. I'LL MISS YOU, JACK, BRING JOY AND FUN TO MY GRANDCHILDREN. JAMIE BENNETT."

Jack immediately flew north, not knowing nor caring where he was going. His search had taken all day, and the Moon shined on him as he flew faster and faster. In his mix of anger and depression, he didn't notice Sandy's dream sand around him. He just kept flying north, letting his emotions out.

A snowstorm raged southwest of the Pole. Jack sat in the center of it, screaming in anger and sadness. He was tiring after making the storm for almost a day, now, so the storm was dwindling from what it had been. Finally, Jack gave in, and the storm stopped.

The Winter Guardian breathed heavily, worn out and tired from the past two days. First Gemma, and now Jamie. The news had taken its toll, and Jack knew he had reached his lowest point. Aimlessly, Jack reached for his staff. It wasn't there.

He whipped around, searching the snowbanks above him. It was nowhere in sight. Jack rushed up a bank, and looked out at the surrounding tundra. Nothing. "Oh Jack." A familiar voice was behind him, a Scottish voice. Jack spun around, staring into the hole.

Gemma was standing at the bottom, grinning, leaning against his staff. "Looking for this?" She held his staff up to him. He ran down to her, tripping and falling down. She laughed, but he didn't care. He went to hug her, laughing, but then he touched her. At his touch, black sand surrounded him. She disappeared, sand flying up above him.

"Gemma?" Jack said, staring around him. Familiar laughter engulfed the air. "PITCH!" Jack shouted, shaking in anger. "WHAT DID YOU DO WITH HER?!" From behind him, Pitch's familiar voice rang out. "Oh, don't worry, she's fine. But I know your fears, Jack. You're afraid of losing her. You love her, you would rather die than have Mary put a finger on her. But your pride won't let you admit it."

"No I DON'T!" Jack shouted, spinning around to face Pitch. The tall skinny man held Jack's staff. Jack ran at him, yelling. As he was about to grab the staff, Pitch disappeared with it. "PITCH! GIVE IT BACK!" Jack shouted aimlessly into the air. "Oh, I will. But, I want to make a deal." Jack calmed down a bit. "What kind of a deal?"

"Oh, it's simple, really, I give you your staff for some simple information." "What kind of information?" "Oh, just the location of Bloody Mary's home." Jack turned again, saying, "You don't know where it is?" "No," Pitch bluntly replied. "Again, Jack, your staff for information to the location of Bloody Mary. I'm counting to three. One…" Jack stared at him, panting. "Two…" He looked at the ground, thinking. "Three!"

"Alright!" Jack said. Pitch tossed the staff in the snow in front of Jack. He bent down and picked it up. "Oh, and one other thing. You can't tell the other Guardians." "What? Pitch I didn't agree to this!" "Not a word, Jack, or I will get your staff back and destroy it. Permanently." Jack gasped.

"And I'll find your little Scott, and make sure she'll never see daylight again."

* * *

**Hey all! Please review! It helps and I enjoy it!**

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	9. Escape

**Chapter 9: Escape**

**NOTE: I know that the legend of Bloody Mary is different than the person. I like this image of her more.**

Gemma sat on a wooden bench held up by chains, more chains on her hands and arms. She had her sweatshirt on over her shirt, now, which had her name written on it in an Old English style font. The hood was up, hiding her red hair. Around her, water dripped off of the stone ceiling and down the stony walls. The wooden door to her left was locked, and the small window on the opposite side brought in little light from outside the room.

The cell was familiar to her. Mary had captured her many times before, mostly out of jealousy. She had been able to escape every time, and planned to do so again. The problem was that her hands were chained, she needed them to use her powers. Mary had watched and learned.

Gemma was focusing on the ground, breathing steadily and heavily. She had tried many times to do what she was about to do, but failed. She frowned, whispering, "Come on." Finally, small clouds began to form above her.

She stayed calm, holding out her chained hands. The clouds began to pour on the chains, and soon they were soaked. Gemma made the rain stop, and the clouds disappeared. That's when the temperature began to drop.

Gemma waited patiently, staring at her hands. She smiled slightly when she saw a hint of ice on the metal. Hours passed, and then she hit the ice against the wall. _SNAP! CLANG! _The chains were broken. She jumped up, giggling, overjoyed at her success. "I did it! I did it with my head!" She laughed again, then sobered.

She ran to the window, which was barred. Oddly, it lead to the throne room of the castle. As usual, guards were inside, just by the doors, so escape that way was impossible. Gemma turned around and ran to the door. She formed some mist around the lock, which immediately froze in the cool temperature.

She kicked at the lock a few times, and it finally broke. She paused, glancing at both directions of the hall. There was nobody around, to her relief and surprise. Mary must have been confident that she wouldn't escape, so she had left no guards. That, or they were on their lunch break; Gemma had no clue what time it was.

The Scott slipped out the door, shutting it as well as she could and turned. Mary had always confused her, because all of the hallways in the castle were carpeted, even this one. She was glad of that, though, because it was safer for her to run. Pausing at each corner and looking around for guards, she ran through the castle.

She knew where to go, and ran around the final corner to see a window. "Shoot!" The window was barred. So Mary _had_ learned. "I see you've been troubled." Gemma spun around to see Mary standing behind her. Despite Mary being shorter than Gemma, she looked at her with a cold stare that made Gemma want to shiver.

"You can't keep me forever, you witch! I've escaped before and will do it again!" Gemma glared at the English Royal, or, rather ex-royal. "Don't you accuse me of witchcraft!" Mary ordered her. "You and I have the same powers, so you put yourself into a rather troublesome predicament. Which brings to mind why I brought you to my castle." She raised her voice. "Guards! Chain her up and take her to the throne room."

Gemma struggled as two guards carried her by her arms. The chains were extra tight on her hands, making them hurt. Finally, the men dropped her and she looked up to see she was in the center of the throne room. It was extravagant, with silk and satin curtains that were reds and yellows. The throne itself was gold plaited and large, dwarfing Bloody Mary, who was sitting in it.

"Do you like the latest styles, my dear?" Mary asked. "Very much, your Majesty." Gemma played the game as always. "Very good." Mary looked at the curtains. "I love my curtains brought to me exclusively by Genghis Khan." She looked down on the kneeling teenager. "Thoughts?" "They're stunning, my queen." Mary smiled and sipped from a glass of wine next to her.

Gemma waited, knowing better than to directly ask Mary what she wanted. "I know what you're thinking. You want to know why you're here. I will tell you." Mary paused again, sipping her wine. "I am going to ask you some questions, and you will give me your honest answers. Understand?" Gemma nodded, saying "Yes, your Majesty."

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**Hey all! Please review! It helps and I enjoy it!**

**:)**


	10. Memories

**NOTE: I'm so sorry about the wait. I've been extremely busy but I've written another chapter as well so hopefully it will make up for it and this boring chapter as well.**

**Chapter 10: Memories**

Phil the Yeti was weaving through his fellow workers, a giant sack slung over his shoulder. He grunted in greeting as the others did to him: distractedly, since they were working on gifts and he had to find North.

Phil walked straight to North's personal workshop. The door was shut, so he slammed it open. _CRASH! _Bits and pieces of ice scattered across the room, obviously something North had made. The big Russian gasped and Phil gasped in reply, dropping the bag.

"How many times must I tell you? KNOCK!" North roared. He sighed, rubbing his face. "Did you find Jack?" Phil bent down and grabbed the sack, holding it out to North. North gave him a look that said 'I am so done.' "Please tell me he isn't in sack." Suddenly the sack moved, muffled sounds emitting from it.

North pointed at the ground, and Phil dropped the bag with a _THUD_. Jack scrambled out, looking at the yeti towering above him. "Oh, hey Phil. Good to see you." Phil grunted, nodding his head, and then left. Jack stood up, looking at North. He bent down to grab his staff, saying, "Did you have to send Phil?" "That is not important. We have word from Bloody Mary."

Immediately Jack perked up and ran next to North. "Really? What did she say?" "Not much." North said, turning to his desk. He picked up a fruitcake. "Fruitcake?" Jack grimaced. "Uh, no thanks." North tossed the plate behind him. "Ok." He sat down in his new armchair, waiting for Jack to say something.

"Well, what did Mary say?" Jack asked. "Oh. Yeah. Mary said Gemma was fine. Thing is she didn't say where they were so we can't find her." Jack frowned, saying, "Why didn't you have someone follow the messenger?" North's face sobered.

"We did. Unfortunately, Steve never returned. Sorry, Jack, but there's nothing we can do." Jack's disappointment showed, then he asked, "So, why else did you bring me here?" "I heard about Jamie," North said, making Jack's shoulders slump, "I was worried about what you would do." North stood up again, walking towards the Winter Guardian.

Putting his hand on Jack's shoulder, the Guardian of Wonder looked at Jack in the eyes. "I know it is hard to lose someone, especially when it is your first believer. But, Jack Frost," North gently poked him in the chest, "you cannot forget your center." Jack sighed, still reeling from the news.

"All of the Guardians went through this." North said. "Maybe you should go see the others?" Silence followed, but in that silence an idea came to Jack. He began to liven up. "Yeah, maybe I will!" Jack laughed. "Thanks, North!" The teenager ran to the window behind the desk, opened it, and jumped out, laughing.

North stared after him, looking a little confused. "Well, that went better than I expected." He wiped his hands. "Still waiting for cookies!"

LATER

Jack struggled to dodge the miniature fairies that were flying to and from the Tooth Palace. "Whoa! Excuse me! Oh, sorry, I didn't mean to do that!" Some of the feathered creatures gawked after him, but most flew by, now used to seeing Jack often. One fairy flew next to him.

"Baby Tooth!" Jack said, noticing his little friend. She squeaked in reply, following it by landing in his hood. "OK, fine. ONE free ride!" Jack flew into the palace, landing on one of the many platforms. He searched for Toothiana, the Tooth Fairy. "JACKSON, TENNESSEE, SECTOR 1!"

Jack whipped around and smiled. He was still crushed about Jamie, but seeing Tooth always made him feel better. "Tooth!" He flew up to her. "Hey, Jack! Oh, one second." Jack stood a ways away, watching her order different fairies to their next posts. Baby Tooth flew past the Guardian of Memories with her tooth, going to the wall.

Curious, Jack followed her. He had never seen the process of saving the memories inside the little white things. Baby Tooth noticed Jack watching, and motioned for him to come closer. He did so, and she pulled out a box. On the side, an image of a girl with black hair and golden eyes looked out.

Baby Tooth turned the golden box around so that the other end was facing her. Jack noticed a hole just big enough for a tooth to fit in. He watched as the little blue and green fairy put the tooth inside, and gasped. Golden lights spewed out from the tiny opening, sparkling and shining as the tooth disappeared.

Baby Tooth gave Jack a satisfied nod, she liked seeing him amazed. Then she flipped the box back to its original position and put it back in its slot. Jack stared up at the giant wall in front of them. "Are everyone's memories here?" he asked, turning to Baby Tooth. She nodded.

"Listen, Baby Tooth, I need your help." He stepped closer to her, putting out his hand. She landed on it, and he brought her up to his face. "Do you remember the new Guardian that was picked?" She shook her head. "Well, her name is Gemma Fogg. She got captured by this woman named Bloody Mary, who haunts the lives of teenagers. Anyways, North can't find her and I thought that if we gave her her memories, maybe she could get out of there. Or, at least get a message to us."

Baby Tooth gave him a doubtful look. "Can you find her memories?" Baby Tooth glanced back at Toothiana. Jack noticed. "Do you need her permission?" Baby Tooth nodded. Jack frowned, saying "But why could I open my memories without her permission?" Baby Tooth squeaked; Jack sighed.

"Yes, I know that but I think she needs them just as much as I did then! Listen. Before I brought Gemma up to North's," he sighed, "I promised her that Tooth would give her her memories. Now please, Baby Tooth, can we find her memories?" Baby Tooth frowned, but took note on how desperate Jack looked. "Please? Do it for the children."

She weighed her options and took off from Jack's palm. She paused, motioned for him to follow, then began flying diagonally along the wall. Jack glanced back at Tooth and quickly followed. The wall was about 8 stories high and 10 stories long, making Jack gawk in awe.

"How many teeth are in here?" Jack asked. Baby Tooth shrugged in reply, only half-listening to him. Eventually, they stopped about 8 feet below the upper left corner of the wall. Baby Tooth glanced around, trying to find the right box. Finally, she grabbed one and pulled part of the way out. She looked at Jack, nodding her head to him.

Ha grabbed the box and looked at it. A girl with black hair and bright blue eyes stared back at him, a smirk on her face. Jack glanced at Baby Tooth, who nodded again. He flew up to the top of the wall, sitting on the edge. Jack hesitated, not sure of what he was about to do.

At last, he put his hand over the diamond shape of the box. He still hesitated, wondering about what Gemma would say to him when she found out he did this. Baby Tooth stabbed him with her beak, impatient. "Ow! Alright, I'll do it!" Jack put his hand on the diamond shape, and stared at the golden glow eliminating from the box.

The light began to dim as the memories left the box, and eventually it was gone. Jack lowered the box from his face and glanced at Baby Tooth. With Tooth's orders faintly being heard in the background, they both sat at the top of the wall of memories. They stared out at the palace, silently hoping Gemma got her memories back.

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**Hey all! Please review! It helps and I enjoy it!**

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	11. You Have Killed People

**Chapter 11: You Have Killed People**

Gemma kneeled in the center of the throne room, staring at Bloody Mary. The small woman seemed even smaller in her throne, which took up almost the entire wall behind her. Mary's questioning had been going on for a while, now, and Gemma was getting sore from kneeling. Despite this, her pride wouldn't let her move from her position.

Mary took a sip of her wine. "So, Miss Fogg, how was life treating you when you met Jack Frost?" Her next question surprised Gemma, but she didn't let it show. "It was just fine, your Majesty." Mary frowned. "I see." Mary shifted in her chair and gave Gemma a sympathetic look. "You must be uncomfortable on the floor like that, d'you want to stand?" Gemma knew better than to stand while Mary was sitting. "No thank you, your Majesty."

Mary frowned at this remark. "Would you like a seat?" Gemma's pride was appalled at the question. She repeated the same words as before. Again, Mary frowned. "Guards! Bring this young woman a chair. For we have much to talk about." A guard scrambled to get a chair and brought it to Gemma, who gave Mary a wary look. Forgetting her manners, she asked, "Why are you doing this?" Mary grimaced at her rudeness, but ignored it. "Because you are my equal, my dear, and I have a deal to make with you. Now, sit." The guard picked her up and sat her in the chair. Gemma would've shoved him away, but the chains on her hands repelled that.

"Now, Gemma." She noted Mary's change of acknowledgement. "As I said before, you and I are equals in mind and in powers. I control lighting and powerful thunderstorms and you control rain and less powerful thunderstorms. Included we are just as smart as each other, and respect that. Correct?"

At this point, Gemma was through with Mary's hours of endless babbling. So, she responded with a question. "What do you want," she asked, glaring. Then she gave Mary a sweet look. "Your Majesty?" Mary was appalled at Gemma, but quickly recovered. She changed strategies. "I know what you're feeling, Gemma. You are full of anxiety, wondering why the Man in the Moon picked you as a Guardian."

Gemma frowned, how did Mary know that she was picked as a Guardian? "You're anxious, wondering if the other Guardians will come to rescue you when they couldn't even see you. You're wondering if Jack Frost will come and save you." Gemma sat back in her chair, shocked that Mary knew as much. "You see, I know what is going on in your mind, and I can use it against you."

"You don't know anything!" Gemma was mad now. She hated this torture. Mary laughed. "Oh, child, that is everything I know! I live off of the depression and anxiety of young people." Her voice hardened. "And that is why I am so powerful now." Gemma wanted to shrink away, but couldn't. Bloody Mary smiled at this.

"Now, I'm offering an appeal with you, and I want you to consider your options. If you and I were to join together, we could rule this world. Just think about it, people will know who you are! You can walk freely in the world without bother!" "And what about the Guardians?" Gemma asked. "The Guardians?" Mary let out a laugh of contempt. "Who needs the Guardians when people will actually see you? Know your name? Your life will be blissful." Gemma glared at her. "No, it won't. I'll be feared. People will shrink away from me. I want to be looked on with curiosity and welcoming, not fear and apprehension."

Mary looked shocked at Gemma's answer. Then she stood up, hovering over Gemma. "Fine. But let me remind you of what you've done. You've killed people, Gemma. You have lead them to their deaths. Thousands of sailors have died at your hands. People have killed themselves in your mist and fog." Gemma reeled at the words, it was as if someone had taken a blow to her chest. "Keep in mind, Gemma, that because of this the Guardians will not accept you. They will hate you for it. You will never be as good as they are. You will forever be a foolish, unseen figure of their past."

Gemma's eyes were wide, now, and Mary could tell that she had hit Gemma at the core. She stepped off of her throne, walking towards the red haired teenager. "You never realized this, did you?" She smiled at Gemma, then made the wide-eyed girl's chin turn up to face her. "You see, it is your job in this world. Now, Gemma, will you join with me?"

Gemma stared in shock at the queen. Mary had her, now. Then a faraway look came into Gemma's eyes, and Mary looked confused. A guard leaned forward, asking, "Your Majesty, what is happening?" Mary frowned. "I, I don't know." Another guard stepped forward, but Mary put up her hand. Without turning away from Gemma, she ordered: "Stop. Keep your position. We will wait and see what is happening."

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**Hey all! Please review! It helps and I enjoy it!**

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	12. A Storm

**Chapter 12: A Storm**

370 YEARS EARLIER

A castle sat on a moor, its walls covered with moss. It wasn't huge, but it wasn't small, either. The stone walls were dark grey in color, matching the high rainclouds above it. On a window sill, raindrops splattered, making the grey stone almost black.

A teenager appeared at the window. She was tall, had striking sapphire blue eyes, and long black hair. Her dress, which had long sleeves and swept down to the floor, was light grey. The dress made her eye color pop as she stared into the clouds, a smile spread across her beautiful face.

She spun around, giggling. Excited, she grabbed her dark grey cloak and threw it on, running down the stairs. After she reached the bottom, she sprinted down the hallway, slowing as she neared a well-lit room. She peeked around the wall and into the room, wondering if her parents had heard her.

Her parents sat on either side of the roaring fire, dressed in their best. Her father was on the left, sitting in his chair. He was brushing his hand through his black hair, thinking. Her father wore the family kilt and had a black cape on, prepared for an important visit. He had always been a little uptight, and today was no different.

Her mother, on the other hand, was the opposite of her father. She sat to the right of the fire, fixing her favorite bow. She had fiery red hair that was extremely curly, and big blue eyes. She loved to run around and be free, riding her favorite horse and practicing her archery. She was a laid back woman, and proud. Her daughter was the same way.

The girl silently tiptoed past the doorway, hoping her parents hadn't noticed her. Just as she was about to run again, her father's Scottish voice called out, "Gavina MacPhee, where are you going?" Gavina sighed and turned around. "I was just going to go and look at the rain." she replied, annoyed. She stepped into the warm room, where her tall father was standing.

"Gavina, you know what today is." Her father said, looking at her. "I know, Dad! I wasn't going to be gone long!" She held her cloak to her neck, irritated at her father. "Gavina, your potential husband is coming with your uncles. You cannot be stumbling in late soaking wet and muddy!" "But Dad!" "Gavina!" "Mom!"

The pair turned to the woman, who was still sitting. She looked the both of them over. "Alic, let her go." "But Merida! Her dress will be ruined!" "Alic, she is a lot like me I was when I was her age. She needs to go outside and be free. Let her go." "But-" Merida gave him a look. "Ugh, fine, but be back before they arrive."

Gavina jumped up and down in excitement. She hugged her father. "Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" She kissed her mother's cheek. "Love you both," she breathed as she ran out the doorway, "see ya later!" Alic sighed as he fell back into his chair. "She is your daughter." Merida simply laughed at the words and went back to fixing her bow.

Gavina slammed the door of the castle shut and slipped on the hood of her cloak. She glanced up at the sky, laughing as a raindrop landed on her face. Then she ran out into the moor, knowing exactly where to go. She ran to the barn and called out to her horse. "Storm!" The grey horse whinnied. A black hunting dog barked. "Oh, you can come, too, Bernard."

Pretty soon Storm was racing across the moor to a low hill. Bernard was following close behind, barking when a raindrop landed on his nose. Gavina held herself close to the horse's neck, trying to keep warm and dry. As they neared the hill, trees began flying by. Finally, Gavina said, "Whoa." Storm stopped, but Gavina was already tying him up to a tree.

The trees now formed a forest with a low mist clinging to it. Storm whinnied nervously, pawing at the ground. Bernard whined. "Oh, you two are a bunch of scaredy cats." Gavina said, tying her cloak tighter. "We've been here a lot, calm down." The black dog looked past Gavina and barked. Gavina turned and gasped.

A wisp was floating a few yards away from the three. "A wisp." Gavina said under her breath. She stepped towards it, putting her hand out. Storm whinnied and Bernard whimpered again. She turned to them. "Hush." She stepped closer to the wisp, and when she got close enough it disappeared. Another appeared behind the first, and Gemma followed.

Bernard glanced at Storm, then followed his owner. After a while, the pair were almost to the top of the hill, still following the blue trail. The storm above them got stronger, and eventually Gavina pulled up her hood. The wind got stronger, blowing the cape over to Gavina's side and making it hard to walk.

Finally, the last wisp floated at the top of the hill, well above the fog covered moor. Gavina stared at it, and took a step forward. Bernard whined, but was ignored. Lightning cracked, making him jump. Again, Gavina ignored everything around her, she just stared at the wisp in front of her.

She got within arm's reach of the wisp and it didn't disappear. She was squatting, now, and she reached out and touched it. At her touch, the wisp vanished. Gavina gasped, pulling her hand away. Lightning cracked again, thunder boomed, and this time Gavina looked up. A glint on the ground caught her eye.

She picked up a small piece of metal in the shape of a lightning bolt. She flipped it around in her hand, looking it over. She stood up, still keeping her eyes on the metal. Bernard, who hadn't left his place a few yards away, whined again, wanting his owner to move away. "Hold on." She held the metal up, trying to get a better look at it in the rainy weather.  
Suddenly, the area lit up. Lighting flashed at the speed of light, shooting through Gavina, the metal lightning bolt, and into the sky. Gavina fell to the ground, a look of shock on her face. Bernard immediately ran to her, barking, licking her wet face. Her dress was partially on fire, but the rain put it out before it could do much damage.

Bernard sprinted down the hill to Storm, realizing that Gavina was gone. He left her on the hill, the storm getting worse as he ran. Gavina lay in the grass, rain seeping into her hair and clothes. Her eyes were wide open, and her arms had markings like lightning bolts on them. Static shot through her, but she didn't do a thing.

Gavina MacPhee was dead.

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**Hey all! Please review! It helps and I enjoy it!**

**:)**


	13. Alive

**Chapter 13: Alive**

Gavina woke up lying on the ground. It was dark, except for the Moon. It loomed above her, giving the hill a pale glow. She looked around, confused. She had no idea who or where she was. She glanced at her dress, a light grey color, fringed at the bottom from some flames. She looked at her hands, noticing marks that looked like lighting as she pushed up her sleeves.

It was then that she noticed her hair. It was long and wavy, and bright red. She held it, still trying to figure out what happened. Suddenly she whipped her head around. She had heard something, a voice. She realized that it was coming from above her, so she looked up. A light breeze caught her hair as she looked curiously at the Moon, wondering if it had said something to her.

A twig snapped. Gavina turned and saw four men, a woman with hair the same color as her's, a teenager looking to be about 18, and a black dog. They seemed to be staring at her. "Um, hello." Gavina said, standing up. "Can you tell me where I am?" The only man without red hair turned to the dog. "Bernard, where's Gavina?" Everyone turned to him as the dog whined, staring at the new Gavina.

"Hello, doggie." At her words, the dog ran at her, barking. He got on his hind legs, going to put his front paws on her stomach, but passed through her. He landed on all fours and froze, wondering why he couldn't touch his owner. She gasped and stumbled back, shock overwhelming her. She stared at the dog, and he whimpered.  
At that, she turned and ran down the hill, scared and confused. Bernard ran after her, barking. "What is wrong with that dog?" The teenager asked, his brown hair glinting in the moonlight. The woman began to chase the black dog. "He sees something." "Merida! This is no time to be running after a crazy dog. We need to find our daughter."

Merida turned to her husband. "Alic, he was the one who brought us here as well as leading us to Storm. Gavina is here, I can feel it." "Why did she even go out in the storm, anyways?" One of the triplet redheads spoke this time. Alic sighed, then said, "She has always loved storms. I told her not to, but she got her way.

He looked crushed, and his wife stood by his side. "Come on. If we split up we can find her." She smiled at her tall husband. "I'm sure she's already home wondering where we are." Alic stared at Merida, then gave her a weak smile. "Yes, she probably is."

LATER

Gavina had returned to the hill, as if it was pulling her there. Something important needed to be learned, she could tell. She was standing at the top, the hood of her cloak over her red hair. The teenager stared at the Moon, wondering if it had said anything. She leaned forward, hearing something. There. Some words, a name.

"Gemma Fogg." The voice said. Gemma gasped. "You, you can talk!" The Moon was quiet. "Is my name Gemma Fogg?" Silence again, but Gemma knew the answer. "So, why am I here?" A light breeze blew past her, blowing her cloak and dress to the side. She stared again, waiting for an answer, but it never came.

1 MONTH LATER

Gemma walked through a forest alone. She had left the moor, and walked for weeks until she found this wood. It was now her home. Her grey dress was ripped at the bottom, now only to her knees, but she didn't care. She had lost her cloak, since it was more of a pain than a pleasure. Her shoes were getting worn, but at the moment she was fine. And her eyes were dark green, gold flecks shining in the night.

The Man in the Moon had never told her why she was alive, but he had told her something else. She had amazing powers. She could control fog and mist, as well as rain, hail, sleet, and light snowstorms. She could even make large and powerful thunderstorms.

Despite all this, there was one problem: nobody could see her. She knew she was in a country called Scotland, but had no idea exactly where she was. The forest made her feel safe, though. She didn't feel as alone with the animals, and could learn how to control the wisps. The little spirits were in her power, and she used them for many things.

Gemma continued to wander under the trees, exploring. Something was different, she could feel it. She decided to walk to a nearby house towards the edge of her home. A family had built it, man, woman, and a little baby boy. The baby couldn't be more than six months old, and had brought much joy to Gemma's life. She smiled at the thought of them.

Her smile turned into a frown when she heard a noise. It was a yell of anguish, a woman's. Gemma ran directly to the house, careful to stay just inside the trees. A fire consumed the house, lighting up the surrounding trees. The parents were moving away from it, or, at least, the father was trying to. The mother was screaming, tears streaming down her face, resisting her husband's yells.

"My son!" She yelled, reaching out for her house. The man yelled at her, trying to knock some sense into her. He half-pushed, half-carried his wife away, moving as fast as he could from the fire. Gemma looked back from them to the fire, noting how fast it was moving with the light breeze that was coming in. She wanted to help, but how could she? Nobody could see her.

An idea came to her. Instantly, she put up her hands and fog appeared. It made everything disappear into grey in a matter of seconds, except for the orange of the flames. She created rainclouds and placed them right above the house. Then it began to rain.

After about 20 minutes, Gemma sent the wisps after the parents. The fire was smoldering, but the entire house was gone. The only thing that survived was a box. Gemma ran to it, hearing some cries. As she bent down to glance inside, she heard giggling. The baby was safe! He was alive! She had saved the baby! Gemma laughed and jumped in joy, happy that the baby was safe.

A wisp appeared where the front door used to be, and Gemma decided to go back into the forest. She made the clouds and fog disappear as snuck back and watched as the parents were reunited with their son. The woman was sobbing, and looked at the Moon with relief washing over her face.

"Thank you, thank you for saving my son."

Gemma turned away.

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**Hey all! Please review! It helps and I enjoy it!**

**:)**


	14. A Battle

**Chapter 14: A Battle**

Gemma's eyes opened wide. She was back in the throne room of Bloody Mary, who was staring into her face. Gemma looked down, saying, "I saved that baby." Mary gave her a weird look. "What did you say?" Gemma glared at her. "I saved that baby. You were wrong. I _have_ saved lives. I _am_ a Guardian!"

Mary looked a little startled, shocked at the change of confidence. Gemma stood up, making Mary back up. "You can try to bring me down, but I know why I'm here, now." Gemma stepped confidently towards Mary, staring the short woman down. "Now, let me go back to my friends. No matter what you do, I _will _escape." Gemma put out her chained hands. "Let. Me. Go."

Mary was scared, now. The fear shone in her dark eyes. Then her eyes went blank, quickly followed by the typical hardness. She straightened herself, saying, "Fine, you are a Guardian. But you've killed many people, Gemma. And soon you will kill more. You've made a horrible decision, Gemma, from which you and your friends will suffer."

Gemma ignored her and turned her attention to the ground, trying to use her powers. Mary saw what she was doing and called the guards. "Stop her!" The guards scrambled forward to stop Gemma, but before they got to her she lifted her chained hands in the air. Fog shot up, consuming the room. Rain began to pour. The temperature dropped.

This time, though, the temperature dropped to freezing in a matter of seconds. The mortal guards froze to death, surrounded by the ice that came from the fog. Gemma had frozen, as well, but was immortal, and unfroze her body excluding her chained hands. She ran to a frozen guard, made the ice come off of the sword, and used it to break the chains.

Now ready to battle Mary, Gemma called down the fog. Mary was nowhere to be seen. Suddenly feeling a presence behind her, Gemma turned around just in time to dodge a lightning bolt from Mary's hand. Gemma fell to the ground, surprised at Mary's newest power. The woman laughed. "Forgive me for not speaking of this, Gemma, it was rude of me."

At that, she let loose another bolt of lightning. Gemma jumped into the air, forming a cloud that she could stand on, narrowly avoiding a shock. She formed a thunderstorm in the high ceiling, hoping to drench her adversary. Mary was ready, and formed her own thunderstorm. The clouds fought each other as Mary and Gemma threw strong winds at each other, soaring on their personal clouds.

Finally, Gemma hit Mary with a gale that knocked her down. Gemma lowered herself as Mary grunted, struggling to get up. The two enemies looked at each other, one standing confidently, the other lying on the ground weakly. Mary stared in fear at Gemma, wondering what she was going to do to her. Gemma glared at the small queen, defiance in her eyes.

Finally, Gemma made one last blow of wind at a window, shattering it. "I'm leaving. I'm going to tell the Guardians where you are, and you can't stop me." Gemma bowed. "Good day, your Majesty." Then she jumped out the window, forming a cloud to fly on. Mary stared after Gemma, then suddenly began to laugh. The laugh was mechanical, as if she was crazy. She stood up.

"Oh, Gemma, if only you knew. I know Jack Frost is anxious about you, but he is more anxious about his deal with Pitch. You'll find Frost first, and tell him where I am. He will tell Pitch, and Pitch will come to me. Since you and I did not join together, he and I will. And when we do, we will be the most powerful force in the world." She grinned evilly. "And no one, not even the Guardians, can stop us."

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**Hey all! Please review! It helps and I enjoy it!**

**:)**


	15. What Is It?

**Sorry it's so late! I just started school this week and I'm taking an AP class this year so I don't know how long it will take for the next chapter. I have ideas I just don't know when I'll be able to write it.**

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**Chapter 15: What Is It?**

Jack Frost was still sitting on top of the Wall of Memories, thinking. He still held the box that had held all of Gemma's teeth in his hand. Jack stared out to the fairies flying to and fro from the palace, his mind and stomach churning. How was he going to figure out where Bloody Mary was? What were they going to do when they found her? What will Pitch do when he meets her? What _could_ they do if they met?

"Jack!" Tooth flew up and sat next to him. "I'm sorry, it just got really busy and I-" she broke off when she saw the box. She glanced at Jack. "How did you get that?" Jack looked at the box. "Baby Tooth gave it to me." He looked at Tooth again. "I know we needed your permission, but it was important and-" Jack paused and sighed. "Listen. Gemma, she's the new Guardian, wouldn't come with me until I promised I would help her get her memories. Then she got captured and I came here to help her if I could." Jack looked down. "I thought the memories could help her." Tooth gave him a loving look, putting her hand on his shoulder. "Jack, that was very sweet of you to do that." He looked at the fairy. "So, do you forgive me?"

"Of course I do. Guardians have to forgive each other, right?" They smiled at each other. "But, I don't understand how you were able to open it. Only the person who owns the memories or the fairies can do that. Unless…" Tooth looked away, thinking. "What?" She shook her head. "Nothing. Jack I need to get back to work." She began to fly again. "Is there anything else you need from me?" Jack couldn't help but here a hint of jealousy in her voice, but put it aside. "Uh, actually yes." "Well, what is it?"

Tooth saw sadness sweep over Jack, taking control of him. "Did, did you hear about Jamie?" She hadn't, but realized what had happened. "Oh, Jack. I'm so sorry. I, I wish I could've been there." She put her hand on his shoulder again. "What do you need from me?" Jack looked at her for a second, noticing her beautiful purple eyes for the first time. He shook himself out of staring and asked, "What did you do when you lost your first believer?"

Tooth frowned, trying to remember. "Jack that was a long time ago. I don't remember much, but what I do remember is this: my believer was a twin. He had always been fun to go see as a child, but when he got older I forced myself to not go and see him. It hurt too much. But, when I found out he had died, we had to open his memories. I found his grave and released them there."

Tears came to her eyes. "I regret not seeing him as an adult, and it made letting him go even worse. I haven't forgotten about him ever since." She took a shaky breath, so Jack hugged her. She was surprised, but accepted it gratefully. Tooth broke the hug, wiping her eyes and sniffing. "I'm sorry I'm not much help for you. Jamie was a great child, but you can't let him get to you, Jack. You have to remember the other children."

Jack glanced at her. "Tooth it's fine. I'm sorry I brought it up to you, it just makes you sad, and I don't like that." He smiled at her. "Go. Working makes you feel better. I'll be fine." Without thinking, he kissed her cheek. "I've gotta go. I'll see you later, Tooth." He flew off, leaving the box, not knowing where he was going to go. He just knew he had to leave. Tooth, on the other hand, sat down on the wall, shocked at the kiss.

She sat weakly, knowing the kiss was one out of sympathy, not out of love. She knew Jack didn't love her because of the memories. Only certain people could open them, herself, her fairies, the actual person, and their true love. Jack was in love with Gemma, and if not, they were going to be together. Tooth was hurt and a little jealous. She would never admit it to anyone, but she was still in love with Jack, especially after 70 years. Despite this, she wanted him happy, so she tried to hide it with a happy face when she had made the connection.

She put her hand down and hit something with it. She glanced over to see Gemma's memory box and picked it up. She held it in her hand, noticing the pretty face on the side. Gemma was lucky to have Jack. Tooth suddenly shook her head, trying to snap herself out of it. She couldn't stay jealous for long, she had a job to do. That's when she remembered Jamie, her head drooping. Then an idea came to her, and she flew into the air, with a visit planned in her mind.

LATER

Gemma wanted desperately to tell the Guardians where Bloody Mary's castle was, but first she had to go home to check on the wisps. The little spirits loved to mess with people while she was gone, that had been learned years ago. She quickly found her way back to the woods, flying on her cloud that looked like a jet stream. Most people who thought they had seen a normal cumulus cloud moving that fast were seen as crazy, so she saved them that and flew well into the air like a jet.

As to welcome herself home, she made a gigantic and powerful thunderstorm above her forest, letting the wisps know that she had arrived. In her usual way, Gemma lowered herself on a cloud into the all-familiar clearing where she and Jack had met. The storm raged on above her, soaking everything in sight. She put her hood up. The wisps formed a crowd with a circle in the middle so that she could stand. She laughed as they crowded around her, bouncing with joy.

"Hey guys! How are you all doing? Who's been messing with the humans, now? Tell me." The spirits floated back a little bit, worried at the words. Gemma laughed again. "Oh don't ya worry I'm just messing with ya." The spirits seemed to calm down. She sobered. "I'm sorry I've been gone so long. Something important came up. I really wish I could stay, but I can't. Bloody Mary is up to something again, and this time I can't fight it alone." At the mention of Bloody Mary, some of the wisps jumped in shock.

"I know we've held her off for some years, now, but I'm afraid she's more powerful than ever. But there are some people out there who can help: the Guardians." The reactions of some of the wisps implied shock. "I know how some of you feel about teaming up with them, but it's the only way. And I have information that they need. Now, have any of you seen Jack Frost lately?" Gemma glanced around, hoping someone would speak up. Nobody did.

Suddenly a horse neighed behind Gemma. She twisted her torso to see a Nightmare charging at her, full gallop. It ran through the wisps, making them disappear in front of her. Gemma had the slightest feeling of fear, but she pushed it away with a gust of wind. The figure broke apart in her face, black sand flowing past her and getting into her eyes. She wiped it away.

She had never told anyone about her controlling strong, sudden winds. She just assumed everyone knew about it. Well, those that could see her: Moon, Bloody Mary, and the wisps. She hadn't had a chance to tell the Guardians, yet. But that didn't matter, now.

Gemma spun around after the Nightmare disappeared. Luckily, it didn't reappear. She looked at the wisps. "Is everyone alright?" More neighing came from the surrounding forest. Nightmares stepped into the clearing on all sides, snorting and pawing the ground. All of the wisps began to vanish as soon as they came into view. Soon they were gone, and Gemma was surrounded by the black sand.

A snort came from right behind the girl, making her turn. She stared right into the face of a horse, with it breathing heavily. She coughed, stepping back, looking past it. Pitch Black sat on its back, staring her down. She gasped and straightened herself, not wanting to show her fear.

"Oh don't try to hide your fear, Gemma. I know you're afraid." Pitch climbed off the horse, turning to her. "Afraid?" Gemma snorted. "Why would I be afraid of you?" Pitch grinned. "Exactly. You're not." Surprise showed on her face. "You're worried the Guardians aren't looking for you. You're afraid that they don't care. You're still afraid that Bloody Mary was right." Gemma's eyes were wide, now.

"I couldn't help but overhear you talking to your, spirits." Pitch said, casually stepping past the teenager. "You said that you had important information for the Guardians. Correct?" Pitch gave her an expectant look; she replied with a cold stare. "I would like to know what it is. And you are going to tell me what it is." Gemma's eyes flashed. "And if I don't?"

Pitch huffed, spreading out his arms to motion to his horses. "I have ways of making you talk." Gemma craned her neck to look at the Nightmares that were surrounding her, snorting and pawing. "Now." She turned back to Pitch, who was now in her face. "What is it?"

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**Hey all! Please review! It helps and I enjoy it!**

**:)**


	16. Fear

**Chapter 16: Fear**

Gemma grunted, head-butting Pitch and making him stumble back, rubbing his head. "Goodbye!" Gemma said sing-songy. "Ugh. Oh, you-" Fog appeared, not only blinding him but also making him cut him off his sentence with surprise. He scowled and called to his Nightmares: "Find her! Do your jobs!" He turned, reaching his hand out for his horse. After finding it, the Boogeyman climbed on its back. They shot into the air, and after zooming through thunderheads finally got up above the fog and the rainclouds, which were still dumping.

In the clear night sky, he turned and saw Gemma flying away at full speed. He clicked to the horse and they ran after her at full gallop. Gemma saw them coming and moved faster, the cloud zooming across the night sky. She knew where she was going, but at the moment all she cared about was getting well away from Pitch. But he wasn't going to make that easy.

Pitch threw some sand, trying to grab her. She glanced back in time and formed a gust of wind to break it apart. She swerved left, rising into the air, making a thunderstorm. Lightning cracked around Pitch, making him jump and the horse rear up. The bolts surrounded the horse and owner, stopping them in their tracks. Gemma took the chance and flew away again, hoping the storm would stop them long enough to get away.

Gemma calmed down as she made some distance between her and Pitch, and even more when she saw her hideaway. Her favorite spot in the forest was a hidden lake at the far side, opposite of the town. Nobody knew about it, and she loved to go there and relax. Her absolute favorite spot, though, was the island at the center. The reason for that was because the large oak near the edge was a perfect place to sit, sending out storms to other countries, and to talk to the Moon.

On the island was its own little forest, with trees that were so close it seemed like the land was choking. Nobody could get through it, she had tried. The trees were oaks, unlike the rest of the forest, which were pines. The largest oak was near the water, and had a huge branch that pointed at the shore. The tree was tall and strong, and Gemma had always felt safe there, leaning against the trunk while sitting on the branch. That was especially the case when the Moon shone above, talking to her.

But the Man in the Moon wasn't saying anything, tonight, and she wasn't safe. Gemma stopped the cloud and hovered for a moment, the thunder booming behind her. She had to find a place to hide, where Pitch and his Nightmares couldn't find her. She glanced around, shooting down idea after idea until _WHAM! _Something smacked into her from behind, making her fall. She screamed in terror as the water zoomed at her face, the splash of the water taking over when she hit it.

She went deep and came up coughing, sputtering, gasping for air. Above her, a Nightmare began to dive, making Gemma go under for fear of being hit. The same thing happened a second time, and a third. Finally, Gemma stayed up long enough to get a good breath, went down again, and began to swim towards shore. She was a good swimmer, and was able to reach the shallow water in one breath.

As she sat up in the shallow water, gasping, the horse attacked again. The mare got close, but at the last moment Gemma made a strong wind that formed a huge wave. The wave swallowed the mare, disintegrating it, but swept Gemma underwater and smashed her against her favorite tree. The lake water pulled away, leaving her lying at the foot of the trunk, groaning in pain.

Pitch's laughter echoed through the trees, seeming to come from everywhere. "Well done, Gemma. You destroyed another Nightmare. Too bad you destroyed yourself in the process." His shadow appeared on the grass next to her, and moved towards the shore. His body took shape in front of her, an evil grin spread across his face. "Nowhere to run."

Out of breath, Gemma gave Pitch a once-over. She tried to get up, but fell on her side, groaning. "Aw, you poor thing. Are you finished, yet?" She looked daggers at him, still catching her breath. Pitch chuckled. "Tell me, Gemma. Why are you running? I just want to know what you were going to tell the Guardians." "That's none of your business." "Oh," he paused for effect, "but I think it is." He grinned at her. "So," he stepped forward, his figure outlined by the full Moon, "what's troubling you?"

Gemma glanced past him, but Pitch didn't notice. A slight breeze picked up from the lake as she weakly grinned at the dark man. "Location, location, location." Confusion ran across the Boogeyman's face just before he let out a yell. Another large wave crashed into shore, being pushed by another ferocious wind. Gemma formed a cloud below her and floated up, grabbing the large branch above like a sloth, the water grazing her back.

The water receded, revealing Pitch as he fell on his back, groaning in pain. He crashed to the ground like a tree in a storm, straight as a board with an audible _THUMP_. Gemma watched, then heaved herself on top of the branch. She sighed, leaning heavily against the tree trunk, her dark green eyes reflecting the moonlight. Seeing the Moon above made her relax, and she was relieved that Pitch was unconscious.

That was a mistake. Black sand wrapped around her wrist and yanked her to the ground, making her cry out in surprise. "Oof!" Pitch held her face in his hand, forcing her to look at his pointed face. "Nice trick, Foggie, where'd you learn that?" Pitch let go as black sand began to envelop the girl's body, she herself struggling against it. "Don't fight the fear, Gemma. It only makes the sand stronger."

As shadows become longer when the sun sets, the black sand crawled up Gemma's body. It moved slowly at first, then gained speed as Gemma's body stopped resisting. It clung to her skin and clothes like frost on a car window, slowly capsuling her in a sandy coffin. Gemma grunted, trying to pull her feet off of the ground. The sand had gone between her shoes and the grass, plastering her feet to the ground. It was impossible to run, and with her body covered in sand she couldn't make a cloud to fly away. She was stuck.

Realizing there was no escape, Gemma stopped trying. But she didn't stop being afraid. The noises coming out of her mouth revealed just how terrified she was as she watched the sand run down her arms. Pitch watched, grinning as the sand climbed up her neck and up to her face. She pointed her head up to the sky, trying to keep the sand away from her face. Pitch stepped forward, looking into her beautiful green eyes. He wanted to be sure that the last thing she saw was fear.

"You do have beautiful eyes, Gemma. I'm sorry they'll never see the light of day again." Then the black sand covered her eyes, and the world went black.

* * *

**Hey all! Please review! It helps and I enjoy it!**

**:)**


	17. Gone

**Chapter 17: Gone**

Bunnymund ran through a tunnel, launching himself off the sides to gain ground. He was coming back from the Pole after a yeti had dragged him there through a portal. When he had come through, North didn't bother to turn from the work he was doing. Bunny had glared daggers at the Russian, but didn't get a chance to speak. "Bunny! We have serious situation!" "Yeah it'd better be. You know I hate those portals!" North stood up and turned, making his chair screech against the floor. The rabbit cringed.

"Bunny! This is serious! Jack was here earlier and-" "Oh it's about his girl again, isn't it? If you ask me I'm glad she got away. We have enough trouble with Snowballs already." "Bunny!" North gave him a look that only came with bad news. The Pooka immediately understood. "Oh, don't tell me that happened." "Unfortunately, it did." North sighed, leaning against his desk. "I told him to go and talk with the others. I couldn't get a hold of Tooth and Sandy, so that left me with you."

Bunny looked at the ground, a frown crossing his face. "Bunny, you know that he is closer to you than anyone. You've got to talk to him." "What, me?" Bunnymund didn't want to admit it, but Santa was right. The little show pony and he had become pretty close since Pitch's attack. North stepped towards him, putting a hand on his shoulder. "I know you two never had the best relationship, but you struck him. You will be the big influence on him. He will listen to you."

Bunny frowned at North, obviously not too excited about his new assignment. "You have a better memory than any of us, even Tooth. You give him good advice." North patted his shoulder. "It will be good for you. It will be, what do they call it? Bonding time." "Alright I'll talk to him. But I'm _not_ going to bond with that headache. I'd rather spend all day with Pitch." North grinned, his eyes twinkling. "Great. Whatever you say." "Hold up, what did you just say?" "Nothing! Now go!"

So now the Easter Bunny was running through his tunnels trying to find Jack Frost. He had made a pit stop in Burgess to say goodbye to Jamie, Jack's first believer. It shouldn't have shocked him so much, he knew, but it did. The pain from losing _his_ first believer still stung inside him. Bunny pushed the thought away as he hopped into the cool night air of an oak forest, the trees so close together he could barely stand.

"What?" Bunny stared around him, confused. "Did I take a wrong left at Albuquerque?" he asked himself. He put his paw to his head. "I must be getting old." Suddenly, his ears twitched. Someone was nearby. Bunny turned in the direction of the voice, half hopping and half stepping since the trees were so close. He peeked through the greenery, his eyes opening wide when they saw the familiar figure that stood no less than 20 feet away. It was Pitch.

The skinny man was standing in front of a teenage girl with long, red hair. Bunny watched as black sand began to encompass her body, immobilizing her. He reached his paw out from the trees, as if he could reach the girl and save her. The Guardian of Hope watched as the sand rose up the girl's body, Pitch grinning at her. The Boogeyman said something to the girl. There! Was that her name?

"Gemma?" Bunny reeled in surprise when he heard the name. Could it be the annoying little Scottish teenager? At the moment, he didn't care. He needed to get to whoever it was and fast. There was no way to get there in time with a tunnel. He grabbed one of his boomerangs. The trees were only two feet apart, so a good throw would be hard to make. This one needed to be perfect. Bunny glanced at the Moon for guidance, and let the piece of wood fly.

The girl was now totally encompassed by black sand, with Pitch lording over her. The Boogeyman grinned at his success, unaware of the deadly weapon coming at him. "Oof!" Pitch fell down, knocked out by the signature Australian relic. The boomerang flew back to its master and was caught, the rabbit grinning at his success. "G'day, mate." He rubbed his boomerang. "I still got it." He slipped the weapon back in its holder, tapping his foot at the same time. A hole appeared, and Bunnymund hopped inside.

Moments later, the rabbit was standing by Pitch, who was still unconscious. He looked down at the girl in front of him, crumpled on the ground. It _was_ Gemma. Shock had taken over and she, like Pitch, was out cold. The Nightmare Sand wasn't on her anymore, and had fallen to the ground when Pitch blacked (pun intended) out. Bunny stepped forward and squatted next to her, gently brushing his paw against her face.

When she didn't move, the Easter Bunny gently picked the Mistress of Fog up. At his touch, she was freezing; her clothes were soaked in water. "I've gotta get you somewhere warm." He turned around and looked at the lake, the moonlight bathing it with a silver glow. It was peaceful and calm, unlike the skyline in the north, which was covered in black thunderheads. "Some fight must've happened over there." Bunny said. He glanced down at the girl. "You've got something, Shelia."

Bunny was about to call on a tunnel when he looked at Pitch again. He frowned, then tapped his foot, making a hole appear below the man. The Nightmare King fell through, heading to the Himalayas. Bunny scoffed, imagining the man's face when he woke in the freezing mountains. He turned his attention back to the lake, and jumped when a he noticed a wisp. Bunny glanced around, wondering if there were more. When none appeared, he looked down at Gemma.

He immediately realized why the wisp was there. He was holding its master in his arms. Bunny glanced at the wisp, and then squatted down. "Listen," he said awkwardly, "I know Foggie here is your master, but she's really sick. She needs to get warm, so I'm gonna take her to my Warren, alright?" The wisp didn't seem to give an answer, making Bunny frown. "I'm afraid there's nothing you can do. I-" Bunny cut himself off. An idea had come to mind. "Actually, do you know Jack Frost?"

LATER

Bunny hopped into the Warren, a huge group of eggs behind him. Gemma was lying on them as Sophie had when the blonde girl had gotten in, making life a little easier for the rabbit. He hoped that the wisps would find Jack, and soon. He knew he couldn't handle this alone, and the other Guardians were way too busy at the moment to help. He turned as the eggs came next to him, picking the redhead up and carrying her to a patch of thick grass. He laid her down, hoping the warmth of the air would warm her.

He straightened himself, watching the girl for a few moments. He had to admit, Jack was annoying, but had good taste. Bunny shook his head, trying to get the thought out of his mind. Instead, he contemplated on whether or not he should leave Gemma here and go work. Work never stopped for him, since he had millions of plants to take care of along with painting billions of eggs.

He decided she would be alright for now, but didn't get her out of his sight. He was growing fond of the 18-year-old, despite everything that she had done in the past. He was surprised that he had never met her before, she was pretty hard to miss with her red hair and big personality. Then another thought came to him: how could Jack see her before the others? He said they had just met when she was picked. His puzzling thoughts left him distracted, and when he looked up again three hours had passed.

Bunny's ears twitched, he could hear Gemma waking up. He hopped over to her, being careful to stay in her sight as he came up. She glanced up at him when he stopped, towering over her. "Bunny? What, what happened? Where am I? How did I get here?" "Hold it, Shelia." Bunny squatted down to her level. "I found you with Pitch. He was using his black sand and almost killed you. I knocked him out and brought you here to the Warren. You were freezing, so I thought I'd bring you to the warmest place on earth." He smiled and spread his arm around him. "Welcome to the Warren."

Gemma stared at him in surprise. "So…how long was I out?" "Oh, about three hours." Bunny noted the look of shock on her face. "Don't worry you'll be fine. Now, tell me something. Do you remember anything?" Gemma thought for a moment. "Yeah, I remember being with Bloody Mary and escaping through a window. Then I went back to my forest and-" A look of worry came across her face. "Wait, where's Pitch? Is he still with my wisps?" The worry in her voice was obvious.

"Oh, don't worry I sent him to the Himalayas. He should be waking up right about now, wondering how the heck he got there." Gemma grinned. "Wait, _waking up_?" Bunny pulled out his boomerangs, and Gemma's eyes widened. "Oh." She looked up at him. "Can I hold one?" He flipped one and handed it to her, watching her eyes absorb every mark in the wood. She may be 18, but she had the curiosity of a 5-year-old.

"Thank you." Gemma handed him the weapon. "Did you make them?" Bunny paused, trying to hide the sadness in his voice. "Actually, no. My dad made them for me." Gemma noted the slight depression and apologized. "Oh, I'm sorry. If I would've known I wouldn't have asked." "No, it's fine." Bunny turned his head away, just in case his face contradicted his words. It still hurt, thinking about his father. Soon the thoughts forced himself into a trance-like state, and Gemma disappeared in his mind.

After Bunnymund was picked to be a Guardian, one by one his family passed away. Each one hurt more than the other, and finally only he and his dad were left. His old man was a tough guy, and his solid black fur made him intimidating, but he had a soft heart. He made Bunny who he was. His dad was his biggest inspiration. Near the end of his life, the Pooka would stay in his little shop for hours at a time, not letting Bunny in. After months of working, he gave the handcrafted boomerangs to his son as a gift.

Unless he fought with them, they had never left Bunny since. The carvings and artwork on the sides showed his life, from his birth up to being picked to be a Guardian. The painstaking detail had shocked Bunny, everything was realistic and breathtaking. There was even one of his favorite sayings painted on them, it was: _'there is a time for everything and everything in its time.'_ It confused most, but Bunnymund understood, and that's all that mattered.

After his father died, the Guardian of Hope soon found a note left by his dad. In it, he told Bunny how proud he was of him, and that he had a bright future ahead. He reminded him that if he wanted to stay happy, he had to keep the children happy. The thought never left his mind. Also written in the note was something his dad hadn't told him: the boomerangs were indestructible. That fact relived him, knowing that he would always have a piece of his father with him. Included with the note was a book of spells, which Bunny had gobbled up eagerly.

He had never told the other Guardians about the secret of his indestructible boomerangs and the spell book, but they knew everything else. That was excluding Jack and Gemma, of course. Bunny was so encompassed in his thoughts that he didn't notice Gemma was hugging him. He had been in thought so long that she decided he needed one, despite the air of awkwardness. When he finally shook away his thoughts, Bunny returned the hug gratefully after a moment of shock.

After a few moments, Bunny let go. "Uh, thanks." He stood up. "How ya feeling?" "Fine." "Do you feel dizzy? Or lightheaded?" Gemma shook her head no, then held it. "Ugh. I have a headache." "That's probably because that sand got over your head. You should be fine, it'll go away soon enough." Gemma decided to try and stand, nearly toppling over in the process. Bunny caught and gave her some support with his arm.

"Hey, take it easy there, feisty. Don't get too excited." Gemma shot him a glare, then turned her attention to the Warren. Her big green eyes widened when she noticed how beautiful it was. "Wow. This is _beautiful_." It was true, the lush green grass and plants encompassed the area, sending out a pleasant aroma. The flowers that the eggs grew in and the eggs themselves were scattered throughout, popping out of the grass every now and then. The rocks and rivers contrasted the green beautifully, making the scene uniquely beautiful and stunning.

Bunny grinned, proud of himself. "Thanks. It's not easy keeping this place like this, but I manage." Gemma, who was now sitting on a nearby rock, looked at him. "I can imagine. I've been trying to get in here for ages." Bunny straightened himself in surprise. "What?" Gemma looked down at the grass. "I've always heard about this place." She turned to him. "You see, I love plants. When I heard about this place I had to find it somehow." She smiled at him. "I didn't expect any of this, though."

Bunny frowned, lost in thought again. He didn't like that Gemma had been trying to get into his Warren. He was very protective of it, especially since Pitch's attack in the tunnels. Albeit he found it a little creepy that a teenage girl had been trying to break into his home. It was bad enough when Jack did it, and _that_ happened at least twice a year.

A yell of joy made Bunny jump out of his thoughts again. Gemma had climbed a nearby tree and was hanging upside down from a branch by her legs. "Gemma, don't do that!" He ran towards her. Bloody show pony. She was about as bad as Frostbite. "What?" she asked, "Keep the heid! I can take care of myself." "Gemma, Pitch almost killed you three hours ago. You shouldn't be hanging upside down like a possum!"

Gemma's eyes flashed at him, the hood of her sweatshirt outlining her face. "Fine." She put down her hands and let go of the tree, pulling off a summersault. When she got up, she was facing away from the rabbit and began to walk away. She glanced back at him, her hood still on her head. "Why are you so protective? I'm immortal, like you. Why do you care?" She grinned. "I thought you hated me."

Gemma's sudden change in attitude shocked Bunnymund, and left him speechless. Gemma continued to walk, taking off her dark green sweatshirt and tying it around her waist. She put out her hand when a butterfly flew near her, and smiled thoughtfully when it landed on her fingers. "Hey, OPB!" she called. "How do you water all of these plants?" Bunny hopped next to her as the insect flew away.

"What did you just call me?" Bunny made himself tower over Gemma. She turned and grinned at his serious face. "OPB. Over Protective Bunny." "I am not overprotective!" "Yes you are!" "Are not!" "Are to!" "Are not!" Gemma rolled her eyes. "Whatever. Anyways," she turned and looked at the Warren again, "how do you water all these plants?"

Again, Bunny was surprised. Curiosity must be this girl's middle name. "Well, actually I was going to start when you woke up. I usually water them at least once a week, early in the morning." Gemma glanced at him. "How long does it take?" "Ah, about a couple hours." She frowned, then her eyes lit up. "What?" Bunny said, curious. A grin came across the redhead's face, then suddenly a thick fog appeared. Gemma was gone. Again.

* * *

**Hey all! Please review! It helps and I enjoy it!**

**:)**


	18. The Waiting Game

**Chapter 18: The Waiting Game**

Jack Frost was getting frustrated. He had been searching for Gemma ever since he had left the Tooth Palace. That was 8 hours ago. Albeit he hadn't originally planned this, he was actually going to find Sandy when he flew over the Scotland wood. He thought it couldn't hurt to look, and it had thus turned into a pile of letdowns. Depression was still gnawing at him like a dog at a bone, but it wasn't as bad since he had talked to Tooth.

Pausing his search, Jack floated in the air, watching the bustling town slow to nearly a stop as the Moon rose higher. Sandy would be here any minute, maybe he could help advise Jack and possibly help search for Gemma later. The second part was highly unlikely, considering the fact that the Sandman worked pretty much 24/7, but it couldn't hurt to ask.

Getting impatient, Jack glanced south. There wasn't a breath of fog in the trees, and now he could see that the forest was much larger than he had thought. If Gemma was here, which was doubtful, she could be _anywhere_. This fact made Jack pause, wondering if North was right. There was no other option until they got more information.

A flashback to his deal with Pitch made him rethink that idea. They had made a deal once before, and although it stayed true, it wasn't the way Jack had expected. He was still uneasy, and a slight glimmer of fear appeared in his eyes. But Jack shook it away, knowing that that was what Pitch wanted. He glanced back at the town, hoping the golden light of the sand would show. It didn't, and Jack was tired of waiting. He turned and began to head south.

MEANWHILE

Sandy had been making his usual rounds bringing good dreams to children. He was just about to fly north over a Scottish woodland to the next town, but had stopped when he noticed two odd things. The first was that the forest was clear. In most cases, that was the usual. But this one was different. It was always foggy and/or raining here, as if a spirit lived here that controlled such weather. This made Sandy think of the new Guardian, whose name he still didn't know. He would have to ask Jack the next time they met.

The second odd thing wasn't so odd, in a sense. It was a Nightmare. Sandy was used to fighting these off, and was going to make it a tugboat when he noticed its behavior. This is what threw the Sandman off. It was running wildly, as if it didn't know where it was going, or missing something. Pitch wouldn't send a rampaging Nightmare on the loose, something must have happened to him.

The Guardian of Dreams made a plane and gave chase to the crazed dream. It could smell something, and was trying to find its source, he realized. Keeping a safe distance, he followed the Nightmare north. It kept zig-zagging, searching almost frantically for something. This behavior was still stumping Sandy when suddenly the mare dove straight down. Sandy made the plane into a sand cloud and looked underneath the cloud, surprised at what he saw.

Below him was a lake. It was calm, and its presence was rather soothing. The moonlight bathed it in silver, which made it glint and shimmer, making the scene picturesque. At the center of the lake was an island, covered in oak trees that were so dense you probably couldn't see into it on a nice day. The island especially stood out because of the magnificent oaks, because the rest of the forest was made of pine trees.

It was unusual, and Sandy wondered why he had never seen the area before. Then he realized that this was usually the foggiest place in the forest whenever he came over, and it was probably a secret to everyone. His curiosity was taking over and his first instinct was to explore, but then he heard a whinny. He quickly floated down and found the Nightmare next to the largest oak, pawing the ground. It had found what it was looking for.

Sandy decided to leave the poor creature alone, and stayed about 2 feet above the water a few yards away. He watched at the mare sniffed something black on the ground, reared, and took off into the night sky. It now knew where it was going, and set off confidently facing southeast. Sandy couldn't help but smile. Yes, the Nightmares were Pitch's domain, but they were still beings that needed to be respected and had personalities all their own. He had to give her credit, which made the smile come across his usually happy face.

Then Sandy turned his attention to the shore. He got closer, and quickly realized what the Nightmare had been sniffing was black sand. Pitch had been here, there was no doubt. Now there was the question why, and the yellow man could tell the Boogeyman had been doing something big by the amount of pitch black (pun intended) sand piled up around him.

As Sandy ran some of the sand through his fingers, a familiar voice called down to him. "Hey, Sandy!" As he looked up, Jack Frost landed beside him, obviously both happy and worried. "I saw the Nightmare. I was going to chase it but it was too fast. And then I wondered what it was doing here and…" Jack trailed off when he saw the black sand.

"Oh no." He glanced around, the look of worry getting even stronger. Sandy made a question mark over his head, wondering why he was so worried. It was usual to see Nightmares, and the sand was worrying but not too bad. "Sandy, this is Gemma's forest." Again, Sandy made a question mark over his head. "Gemma's the new Guardian. Did you hear Bloody Mary captured her?" Sandy shook his head no. "Well, when she and I got to the Pole she was captured by her. And when we were heading there Gemma was telling me about her secret lake. This is her favorite place."

Jack's face suddenly turned angry. "Oh, how could I have been so stupid? I should've looked here first, not near the town. That was too obvious." Sandy felt bad for him, realizing that Jack had taken full responsibility for Gemma's disappearance. He floated up to Jack's height, putting a hand on the boy's shoulder in reassurance. Then he pointed to the ground, showing Jack some things he had seen before the Winter Guardian got there.

In the grass, which was unusually wet, were two flowers. One was pink, and about 2 feet off of Jack's left. The other was a rich purple, and growing next to Jack's bare right foot. At first, the look on Jack's face said he didn't understand. Sandy smiled, remembering how long it had taken for him to recognize the flowers at first. Jack looked at him expectantly, so Sandy made the shape of an egg above his head. Recognition shone in the blue eyes, a smile spreading across his face. "Bunny!"

* * *

The Easter Bunny sat up intently, twitching his ears. Gemma was still inside of the Warren, he was just trying to find her before she made a giant mess. The fog that surrounded him was thick, and making it difficult to find the wily Scott. He didn't like the grin she had on her face before she had made everything grey, and still didn't trust her despite what happened.

Finally, the fog began to clear up. Bunnymund straightened himself, figuring that Gemma had hid herself to try and scare him again. At that thought, he was surprised she hadn't tried that again before. She had obviously enjoyed it. He shrugged it off as the last wisps of fog vaporized, revealing everything to seem untouched. That was weird.

Then Bunny saw Gemma. She was standing at the center of the Warren, where the highest hill was. She was searching the area like a lone wolf, her beautiful yet piercing eyes absorbing everything. She still had her sweatshirt tied around her waist, showing off the simple black T-Shirt underneath and her pale arms. It was plain to see that she had fully recovered from Pitch's attack, and was looking for something to do.

Bunny began to run up to her, and when she saw him she immediately called out: "Hey, Bugs Bunny! Hurry up I wanna show you something!" He was wary when he hopped next to her, not liking the sound of his new name nor of what she was about to show him. She grinned at his apprehensive face. "Don't worry, I'm not going to do anything bad." Bunny's face didn't change.

She ignored that and turned to look at the Warren again. "You said it took you a couple hours to water everything here, right?" Bunny gave her a sideways glance. "Yeah, I did." She smiled. "Well, how about this?" With that, she spread her arms up and out, some grey clouds forming above them. Bunny stared in awe as a light rain began to fall, giving his fur a light coating of water. His mouth was dropped open.

"Consider it me paying you back for a favor." Bunny glanced at the teenager. She was smiling at him, undoubtedly because he was actually speechless. He didn't know what to say. The process of watering plants for hours each week could all be stopped by one person, and that one person he had never believed in. "Scotty?" He paused. "I just wanted to say I'm sorry for not believing in you, and for letting you have it at the Pole." He wanted to say more, but couldn't think of anything.

"It's alright. I probably deserved it, anyways." Gemma ran her fingers through her hair, pleased at her work. That was when Bunny noticed the odd markings on her arms. They looked like lightning bolts. "Hey, mind if I ask about your arms?" She glanced at them, looking surprised at Bunny's question. "Oh, before I became Gemma Fogg I was struck by lightning and died. When I woke up, I had these markings from the strike."

Bunny was confused. "I thought you didn't remember anything from before you died?" "I didn't. But when I was with Mary I suddenly remembered my life before I became who I am today." She grinned. "I was a princess of Scotland, about to be married off to some guy. I'm kinda glad I died when I remembered that." "But, don't you miss your family?" She frowned. "Of course I do, but you can't change your fate, can ya?"

The frown had turned into a smile, a teasing look in her eyes. The words were familiar to the rabbit. "Please don't tell me you were the daughter of Merida?" "Ok, I won't." The Pooka smirked. "Well, if you are, you and I need to have a shooting competition. I was the best in my family." "Oh, bring it on, rabbit!" They both laughed as Gemma made the rain stop and the clouds disappear.

Then Bunny heard something. It was the wind. Then two pairs of feet landed on the grass near the tunnels. He turned in that direction, Gemma looking the same way. "What?" He turned to her. "We got company, mate."

MEANWHILE

Pitch woke up freezing, rubbing his head, and groaning. He jumped in surprise when he realized he was at the center of a blizzard on some mountain. How had he gotten here? The bump on his head and the nearest memory reminded him. He was about to make Gemma his own and almost had her when something wooden knocked him out. It had come out of nowhere, knocking him out cold.

Pitch was still puzzling when he heard a whinny. One of his Nightmares came running at him through the blizzard, stopping next to him. He stood up, grumbling, "It's about time you got here." He climbed on her back as she snorted, pawing at the ground in response. "Take me to that lake!" The horse took off, struggling through the blizzard, but eventually got out. They would arrive soon enough.

LATER

Pitch glared at the ground, recognizing the familiar flowers that were about four feet apart. That stupid rabbit had been here. He must've taken Gemma and sent him to the Himalayas to freeze. He scowled at the thought, not happy that a rabbit had outsmarted him, especially one who was a Guardian.

The Boogeyman was getting angry. He needed to get to Mary as soon as possible, but those stupid Guardians kept getting in the way. He needed stop them, but how? He mused on the thought for a moment, then slowly began to grin. It was so _simple_, so _obvious_, and so _devilish_. He _loved_ it.

The Guardians might see it coming, he realized, but another thought occurred to him. They had Gemma, now. Oh, that made it better. The Guardians would be so focused on her that they wouldn't be looking out for him. Yes, it would work perfectly. He could get everything he needed and _more_ with one single blow.

Of course, his need for Mary was important, but he needed precious information first. He could wait, that was easy for him. In the meantime, he decided to play it safe. He hopped onto his Nightmare and rode off, glancing at the Moon for a moment. Nothing needed to be said, so he kept riding away from the precious hideaway.

And so the waiting game was started, with Pitch riding off, and preparing to collect more fear than he could have ever imagined.

* * *

**Hey all! Please review! It helps and I enjoy it!**

**:)**


	19. Whoops!

**Chapter 19: Whoops!**

"Cottontail!" Both the rabbit and the girl perked up at the familiar voice. "Frozone!" "Frostie!" Gemma began to laugh, running past Bunnymund and down the hill. "Race ya!" He paused, grinning. "Oh, you don't want to race a rabbit, mate." He took off after her, only to watch as she formed a cloud beneath her feet. She was flying low, only about five feet off the ground, but had a lot of speed.

She twisted and turned, dodging rollers and Bunnymund, who was trying to get ahead. He had just caught up to Gemma and was running alongside her when he heard a loud groan. He glanced to his right just in time to see the cloud disappear, making the girl fall to the ground. At the same moment, fog appeared, encompassing the Warren again. Bunny screeched to a halt, looking and listening for the Scott.

He heard her mumbling and trying to get up a few yards behind him and to his right. He found her with bruises on her arms and a bump on her forehead, confused about what had just happened. "Bunny! You alright?" Jack called out. "Yeah, I'm fine. I'll be there in a minute, mate!" he called back, looking Gemma over for more injuries. He helped her sit up.

"What happened there, Scotty?" "I, I don't know. I was feeling perfectly fine when my stomach began to hurt. It must've made my powers short out." "Has this happened before?" "Yeah, a few times after I ate something really bad or maybe I got too cold or hot. I'll be fine." Gemma tried to get up, but fell to her knee, grunting again.

"Well I don't think you should be trying to fly anytime soon. Here, hop on my back. I can give ya a lift." Gemma looked worried for a second. "Don't worry I'll try and make it as smooth as I can." "It's not that. I'm just worried what everyone else would think if they found out you were carrying me around." Bunny tried hard not to chuckle. Gemma certainly had a sense of pride.

"Don't worry your secret's safe with me. Now, hop on. Your boyfriend's waiting." Gemma glared at him. "For the last time, Springy, he is _not_ my boyfriend!" Despite this, she climbed onto his back, gripping tightly to his fur. Bunnymund gave her a teasing smile, he couldn't help it. "Yeah, and Easter isn't a holiday!" Then he took off into the thickening fog.

They bounced off of roller to roller, sprinting down the trail. Bunny was surprised to find out that Gemma was an experienced rider. "Did you ride horses before you died?" he yelled, glancing back at Gemma. "Yeah, my horse was about as wild as you!" He felt her knees tighten to his sides, keeping herself on, and the gentle yet firm grip she had of his fur on his neck.

He felt her leaning into him, trying to keep the wind off. Yes, of course she was experienced, he realized. She was the daughter of Merida, the world-renowned queen, famous for her bravery and skill both with a bow and a horse. Gemma had been taught by the best, and was in line to be one of the best. Bunny made himself not say once again: _'you've got somethin', Shelia.'_ They were nearly at the tunnels.

Bunny stopped, letting Gemma off of his back. He knew she wouldn't want Jack to see her like that, it ruined her pride and would make him jealous. There was no doubt about the spark between them. Oh, was Tooth going to be mad. Perfect blackmail for her. His musing was broken by the odd look on Gemma's face, and Bunny realized that he had a funny smile on his. "What?" she asked. "Oh, nothing."

Bunny let out a quiet sigh of relief when a cold wind blew past them, clearing the fog. The girl and rabbit turned to see Jack Frost and Sandy standing a few yards away, a smile spreading across their faces. Or, at least, Sandy standing in place. "Gemma!" Jack was already running at them, or at Gemma, really. The look on his face was a mix of happiness and relief, and he couldn't help but hug her when he approached.

Jack literally swept Gemma off her feet, spinning as they flew into the air with laughter. Sandy floated next to Bunny, a wide grin on his face. Bunnymund realized that Sandy had never met Gemma, and glanced back at the couple. He cleared his throat, getting their attention and breaking them apart from each other, awkwardly. Gemma rubbed her arms, Jack was freezing and she obviously missed her green sweatshirt.

"Gemma," Bunny motioned to Sandy, who waved, "this is the Sandman, also known as Sandy." Gemma's eyes widened as she gasped. "You, you can see me?" The short man nodded his silent reply. Gemma laughed, the familiar sparkle showing off the gold flecks in her dark green eyes. "This is great! The only Guardian who hasn't seen me yet is Tooth! I can't wait to meet her!"

Bunny frowned at this remark, knowing how Tooth felt about Jack. He hoped she wouldn't be too jealous when they met. Then he noticed the fog creeping in, and glanced at Gemma. "Hey, Scotty?" He nodded to the fog, and it soon vaporized. "So, did you guys find the wisps?" "The wisps?" Jack looked confused. "I sent one of those bloody things after you, did you see any?"

Jack and Sandy shook their heads. "No, we didn't see anything except for a Nightmare, some black sand, and a couple flowers that you left." Gemma glanced at Bunnymund. "Flowers?" "Whenever Bunny goes through a tunnel," Jack explained, "he leaves a flower where it was." Jack snickered. "Manly, I know." Gemma laughed, Sandy joining in with his silent laughter.

Bunny was fuming, but remembered he still had some blackmail for Jack. He couldn't wait to tell North and Tooth about the Winter Guardian literally sweeping a girl off of her feet in an embrace. He began to laugh with them, making Jack very uncomfortable. The boy knew Bunny always had something up his sleeve, but didn't bother to ask. Bunny liked that.

The Easter Bunny needed to get Jack and Gemma away. He wanted to talk to Sandy alone, and was glad to notice Gemma's sweatshirt wasn't tied around her waist anymore. "Hey, Scotty, where's you sweatshirt?" Gemma put her hand on her side, feeling for it. She glanced around. "I don't know. I must've lost it when we were racing."

Then Jack seemed to notice the bruises on Gemma's arms for the first time. "What happened to you?" "Oh, Springy I were racing here and I fell." She waved it off. "It's fine." Bunny took his chance. "Well, you two haven't seen each other in a while. Why don't you two lovebirds look for it?" Their faces said what they had always repeated, but their cheeks said otherwise. Sandy nodded to them, pushing them on.

Then the mischievous look came into Jack's eyes again. He grinned at Gemma. "Race ya!" he shouted, taking off into the air. "Hey, no fair!" She ran after him, remembering what had happened earlier. Jack spun around, watching her from a ways away. "Come on, Foggy! Keep up!" Gemma stopped, watching Jack show off. With his great ears, Bunny heard Gemma mumble something. "Oh, you want me to keep up, huh?"

Suddenly, the wind that was holding Jack stopped. _SPLASH!_ He crashed into a river of pink egg dye. Bunny and Sandy burst out laughing as Jack stumbled out of the colored water, his face showing a mix of lost pride and confusion. He was covered head to toe in hot pink: sweatshirt, hair, and all. Gemma glanced back at the older Guardians, a sheepish grin on her face. "Whoops."

Sandy didn't hear Gemma because he and Bunny were laughing, but Bunny did. This made him laugh even harder, and he was soon laying on the ground, hitting the grass with his fist. Gasping for breath, Bunny sat up. "She got you good, mate!" Jack used the wind to blow the majority of the dye off.

He glared at Gemma, but was surprised to see her running past him. "Race ya!" she yelled, laughing. Jack glanced back at Sandy, Bunny noticed, and the pair shared a smile. Jack had always looked up to the oldest Guardian for advice, and this was no exception. Then the Winter Guardian turned and ran after the Mistress of Fog, his laughter filling the air.

Bunny, who was now standing, let out a little laugh, smiling at the couple. "They're adorable." Sandy nodded his agreement, pondering in his quiet ways. Then Bunnymund got serious, he had to tell Sandy what had happened. "Hey, Sandy, we've got a problem." Sandy glanced at him, obviously thinking the same thing. He made a question mark over his head.

"Well, I was actually trying to find the overgrown Snowflake when I found them." Another questioning look from Sandy. "She was with Pitch." Sandy shook his head, asking why he was looking for Jack. "North sent me after him. You heard about Jamie, right?" The look he gave him said no at first, but then he quickly realized what had happened. "Yeah. North tried to find you but couldn't, so he found me instead."

Bunny continued. "I must've taken a wrong turn or something, because I hopped into a tight forest. I could see Pitch standing in front of her, his sand crawling up her body like a shadow. I couldn't get there in time with my tunnels, so I threw my boomerang instead. The sand got over Gemma's head, but I was able to knock Pitch out before it could completely absorb her."

Sandy's faces had shown stress, especially when Bunny mentioned the sand going over Gemma's head. He let out a silent sigh of relief when Bunny told him what happened to the Boogeyman. He hated to worry the Sandman, but the yellow man needed to know about the race. "Thing is, mate, I think it took effect." The look on Sandy's face turned to worry.

"See, the fog was her powers shortening out. We had been racing to see you and Frozone and she got really sick. She was flying on one of her clouds and crashed to the ground when it disappeared. That's why she has a ton of bruises." Sandy frowned, looking in the direction where Jack and Gemma had run off. Bunny didn't bother to look, he had heard them coming a while ago.

"I think Pitch might have succeeded." "What?" Jack asked, Gemma by his side. Drat! He had said it a little loud. Bunny turned to the couple, standing alongside the Guardian of Dreams. The older Guardians shared a glance, then stared back at Gemma. She was just as confused as Jack, and she stared back at them, worry starting to shine in her eyes.

"What? This isn't about Pitch, right?"

* * *

**Yes, rather boring. Sorry guys! I kinda had a block. It will get better, I've just gotta figure out how it all comes together.**

**Anyways, please review! It helps and I enjoy it!**

**:)**


	20. Why Don't You Believe?

**Chapter 20: Why Don't You Believe?**

"Pitch? What, what happened?" Jack looked from Bunny to Gemma, now worried and confused again. What did Pitch have to do with this? "Jack, we need to get Gemma to North. I'll explain what happened when we get there." Jack was about to argue when Gemma spoke up. "No. We're not leaving until you explain." Her eyes flashed with retaliation.

Bunny shot Gemma a look. "Listen to me, Scotty. If what Sandy and I think is true, then something bad is gonna happen and soon." "What do you mean 'something bad'?" "Gemma, you and I both know what Pitch did to you!" "Yeah, but that _doesn't_ mean I _understand!"_ "Ugh. We don't have time for this! Now come on," he reached for her arm, "we're leaving for the Pole." Jack stepped between them.

"No." He sounded more serious than he had ever been before, which shocked Bunny, he noticed. "As far as I can tell I'm the only one here who doesn't know what happened. _I_ was the one that brought Gemma to you, so _I_ deserve to know. Now, I'm sure it won't take that long to tell me what happened, and when you're both finished we can leave. Alright?"

He glanced from the girl to the animal. Gemma nodded her head in agreement. Bunny stared in shock at him, dumbfounded at the fact that he could be extremely serious if need be. Bunnymund finally nodded as well. Jack looked around for Sandy's approval, but couldn't find him. "Sandy?" Everyone turned in surprise. "Where'd he go?" Jack asked. The little golden man had silently disappeared as Gemma's fog did, without warning.

"Doesn't matter. Gemma you just tell the overgrown Snowflake what happened so we can get to the Pole." In most cases, Jack would have retorted with his own nickname for the Pooka, but let it slide. He needed to know what had happened. He turned his attention to the Scott. "Gemma?" he asked, looking at her expectantly. He was surprised to see fear encompassing her eyes, obviously terrified of what had happened.

Jack instantly regretted asking her to tell the tale instead of Bunny. As she spoke, Gemma began to shake furiously, her voice shaking. She started with arriving back in the forest, describing every detail to waking up in the Warren. What she said made Jack nervous, remembering his deal with Pitch. If they had Gemma now, what would he do?

He pushed the thought aside as Gemma finished. The poor girl looked so shaken that he wrapped his arms around her again, trying to bring some comfort. Bunny had noticed how visibly terrified she was and put a paw on her shoulder, like Sandy did to him. "It'll be alright, Shelia. The next time we see Pitch we'll give him a good wallop, you hear?"

The look on Gemma's face said she was grateful, but something in her eyes made Jack nervous. "Gemma, something else is wrong. What is it?" She looked into his eyes, then threw herself into him. She was sobbing. "I don't understand what he was doing to me. It scared me, Jack." He glanced up at Bunny, understanding why the Guardian of Hope had been trying to leave so desperately. Pitch had been trying to make Gemma his own.

"Jack!" Tooth's familiar voice echoed from the tunnels. In seconds she had pushed him away from Gemma, looking him over for injuries. She took careful note on his teeth. "Are you alright? Sandy told me you got hurt and I came here. Did Pitch hurt you? Oh if he doesn't-" "Tooth!" Jack interrupted her, not happy at her constant worrying. "I'm fine. The one who needs help is Gemma."

Tooth looked surprised, her face mere inches from his. She turned around, searching for Gemma. She looked at Bunny, obviously confused, and spun back around to him. Gemma took a step forward, baffled. "Jack, I don't see anyone." He looked from Gemma to Tooth again. "You, you don't see her?" Tooth shook her head, and Gemma looked like her world was crashing down. After a moment, she said, "She, she doesn't believe in me."

Jack realized that Gemma must feel even worse than he'd had before he was picked as a Guardian. Before they had met, not even the 5 Guardians of Childhood had any idea who she was. The Moon had never even spoke to them of her, but had of many other spirits. That must've been a crushing blow. On top of that, Tooth was the only female Guardian, and for her not to believe must hurt even more.

He had all of the guys to talk to, to relate to on a totally different level. This is what Gemma had been looking for, and if Tooth didn't believe, she wasn't going to get it. This thought made him angry. "Why don't you believe in her?" The words came out harsher than he had meant. "What?" Tooth looked surprised.

"All Gemma wants is to be believed in. None of us believed in her until the Man in the Moon picked her as a Guardian. Do you realize how she must feel?" "Jack, it's alright." Gemma said. "No, it's not alright! Tooth, not even you or Bunny or North or even Sandy believed in Gemma before I met her. _I_ didn't even knew she existed until then. She was probably the loneliest person on the planet."

Gemma took a step back, obviously uncomfortable with what Jack was saying. "And now she has friends: us! But you know what, Tooth? She isn't happy. You know why? All because the one Guardian she wanted to meet the most won't accept her. You know who that person is? It's you, Tooth! It was her dream to meet the Guardian of Memories. Why don't you believe? Don't you have any heart?"

Everyone stared at him in silence for a moment. Jack was never like this. Tooth recovered herself. "The reason why I don't believe is because the Moon didn't tell me she exists. If the Moon didn't tell me, then it doesn't exist." Tooth gave a little huff. "Why else would we have never heard of this 'Gemma Fogg' before?"

Gemma let out a sob. Jack and Bunny turned in time to see her run into the tunnels, tears streaming down her face. She didn't even notice North and Sandy when she ran between them, causing the pair to glance at the other three Guardians. "Did we miss something?" North asked. Ignoring him, Jack called after the Mistress of Fog, about to give chase when the Easter Bunny grabbed him by the shoulder. "Let me go!"

"Let her go, Jack. She needs to be alone. And… there's something else you need to know." As North and Sandy came closer, Bunny let him go. "You know when you and Sandy first came in? The fog that appeared was Gemma's powers shorting out. I think Pitch's sand stayed over her face too long and began to take control. Unless we do something, she's going to go bad."

Jack stared at him, mouth agape. He became angry again. "Then why did you let her go?" "Because I didn't want to scare her and enough damage has been done." At that, Jack glared daggers at Tooth. He had just lost Gemma, gotten her back, and lost her again _on top of_ losing Jamie. How dare Tooth act like that towards Gemma?!

She stared back at him confused, but seemed apologetic. "Jack, I'm sorry-" "No, YOU'RE NOT! IN A MATTER OF DAYS I HAVE LOST TWO PEOPLE I LOVE MORE THAN ANYTHING IN THE WORLD! I FINALLY GOT ONE BACK, BUT BECAUSE OF _YOU_ I LOST HER AGAIN!" Everyone watched in horror, they had never seen him this mad. He let out an angry sigh as a blizzard began to form, the wind picking up.

"Thanks for nothing, Tooth. You've ruined my life, as if it wasn't bad enough with Jamie gone." He glared at her. "Good luck trying to speak to me again." And with that, he left. He was so angry at Tooth, why couldn't she have believed? What was wrong in her mind that made her want to hurt him like this? She knew about Jamie, why would she hurt him again?

He appeared near the Pole, making the storm more violent and strong than last time. These snowstorms helped him think, and this one was going to go on for hours. All his life, something had felt like it was missing. Even after he became a Guardian and had a family, that emptiness was still there. When he had met Gemma, he had felt complete for the first time.

After hours of storming, Jack finally collapsed into the snow. Weakly, he curled himself around his staff, the horrible Nightmares slowly beginning.

* * *

**Not my best chapter but I had a block.**

**Hey all! Please review! It helps and I enjoy it!**

**:) **


	21. A Green-Eyed Jack Frost

**Chapter 21: A Green-Eyed Jack Frost**

Pitch couldn't help making Jack miserable. He enjoyed scaring the bratty teenager out of his wits, and the fear was _delicious_. The Winter Guardian had no clue how Bennett had died, and Pitch took advantage. He sent out dreams of Jack watching Jamie die horribly in front of him, or even Jack's own death. The dreams were quick in succession, making the fear incessant. Pitch loved it.

While he worked, he paced around his globe. Eve, the Spirit of All Hallows Eve, had given it to him hundreds of years ago as part of a deal to make her holiday more powerful. Pitch had helped, but the plan totally backfired in the long run. Now her holiday was all about candy and silly costumes, not fear and darkness and death.

The blinking lights on the globe were the bane of his existence. He wanted, no, _needed_ those lights to go out. But how? Gemma wasn't with the Guardians, and he needed them by her side for his plan to work. He paused, letting Jack have it easy for a moment as he fed on the girl's fear. She had always felt alone, even more than Jack, but the hope of meeting the Guardians face-to-face had always been burning. When the Tooth Fairy didn't believe, that hope was gone and the fear that they never would believe had rekindled.

Pitch had tasted Gemma's fear before, but wasn't a fan. It always seemed wet, and wasn't appetizing at all compared to Jack's cold cowardice. He decided to snap Jack back into his Nightmare, making him scream in terror and waking him up. Pitch sighed irritably, but let it go. Jack would fall back asleep in time.

Meanwhile, he was still trying to figure out how to get Gemma back to the Guardians. Fear was radiating off of her and she was easy to find. She was in Australia; she hadn't strayed too far from the Warren. This could be a problem. That rabbit had the best ears in the universe, and almost as good as a nose. If he went there, the animal could easily find him again.

Despite this, he decided it might benefit if he went to go watch Gemma. Maybe an idea would come to him. Pitch called one of his Nightmares. When she arrived, he gave her his orders. "Go watch Frost, and if he moves come and tell me. But leave him alone and _don't_ let him see you, understand?" The mare nodded, snorted, and took off into the sky.

She reared and began to fly north as Pitch watched. "Frost is taken care of," he said, turning to the globe, "now it's time to visit a new friend." He glared at the continent of Australia, preparing himself for anything. The girl, like all women, was unpredictable. He needed to be ready.

MEANWHILE

Gemma had ran to the edge of a tiny forest when she got out of the tunnel. Despite feeling safe in the trees, she wanted to get away from the Guardians. She needed to be alone; she feared she would hurt someone. So she ran through the wood, stopping near the edge of a 100' cliff that the forest sat on.

Thunderheads swelled above her, more powerful than ever, and fog engulfed the land below her. This is one thing she hated about her powers. She could control them, but if her emotions got too rioted she couldn't choose anything. Then she became extremely dangerous, and she didn't like being around others.

Gemma looked out at the fog, tears streaming down her already wet face. The wind picked up, blowing her long hair in and out of her face. She pulled up her green hood, trying to hide herself. She sank down to the foot of the tree behind her, loud sobs emitting from her mouth. What Jack had said had shocked her, and it had hurt. Everything was true.

She _did_ feel alone. She wasn't the loneliest person on the planet, (she had her wisps to talk to) although she had wanted so desperately to be believed in. Gemma had especially wanted to meet the Guardians, and had approached them hundreds of years ago. But one by one they had ignored her. She talked to the Moon about it, however his usual reply didn't help. That stung a little, and she had never let it go.

But still, the hope was aflame inside her. Of course, no other spirits or humans could have seen her, as far as she knew, but she was still able to stay happy. Kids loved to play in the rain, and she always enjoyed hearing their laughter when she went to watch. She adored making others happy, even if she was the opposite.

Then there was messing with the spirits and people. _That_ was fun. One of her favorite times was when she made Bunnymund lost for a good 12 hours. She could barely make the fog disappear because she was laughing so hard at his irritation. He didn't hear her laughing, and angrily blamed Jack Frost for his little adventure. Gemma decided to keep it that way.

So she had been able to entertain herself in this way for hundreds of years. This is how she had stayed sane for 370 years despite being ignored. Now, she had a handful of believers, and she was happy with that. The catch was that the one she had always wanted to talk to the Tooth Fairy. No, she _needed_ to talk to her, or at least, some other woman.

Gemma needed a woman to talk to. No, she didn't mind talking to Jack and Bunnymund, and was excited to talk to North and Sandy, but it didn't satisfy her. She couldn't explain why, but she felt she could be more personal with Tooth. She had thought that maybe a woman-to-woman bond could be formed. It sounded silly, but it was true, and she had actually been to the Tooth Palace in hopes of making her believe. Unfortunately, the fog had only infuriated the woman and the mini fairies.

Bloody Mary had latched onto Gemma after she became immortal. Gemma's depression was incessant, and there was many a time when Mary had paid her a visit. They had pretty much the same powers, but the Scott's were more developed, making the Brit jealous. The Scottish-British rivalry had been alive ever since they met, so bonding with the half-crazed woman was impossible.

The royal always took advantage of the girl's depression. She always mentioned the fact that the Scott wasn't believed in and that she was. Or that Gemma had no idea who she was, since she didn't remember anything. Also, Mary never let her forget that people committed suicide in fog. That was literally a killer, but Gemma couldn't do anything about it since she couldn't be seen. That didn't stop Mary. The haunting words always floated in Gemma's mind: _"You never try to save them. Why?" _

Bloody Mary tried to take Gemma's powers at one point. She wanted the power to create fog, because the grey and gloom of the condensation made depression worse. That was really how Mary lived, and explained why she was suddenly so powerful. Depression rates were going up in teenagers and adults, and that was the reason why Pitch was trying to ally himself with her.

**(AN: Now, the only person who knew that Pitch was trying to ally himself with Bloody Mary was Jack Frost, but he didn't know why. And for fear of Pitch, he hadn't told anyone. But I'm getting ahead of myself and probably confusing you, let's get back to Gemma. Also, this is where it gets kinda dark, and why this story is rated "T.")**

Gemma was now blind from the tears in her eyes, and shook with emotion. The memories reminded Gemma of the fact that yes, belief was slowly coming to her, but not everyone would believe. Tooth was the screaming reality and if _she_ didn't recognize Gemma, what kids would? She would always feel alone and unrecognized, no matter what would happen.

Gemma didn't understand why she was picked to be a Guardian if no human believed in her. How was she supposed to protect them if they couldn't see her? Why would the Man in the Moon pick someone who was partially associated with _suicide?_ Wasn't that dark enough? Why not Kiangazi, the Spirit of Summer? Or maybe Xīnnián, the Spirit of the New Year?

Suddenly, a twig snapped in front of Gemma. She had been so caught up in her emotions that she hadn't noticed a teenaged boy walk by. He had his back to her, standing at the edge of the cliff, the air about him making Gemma nervous. He was wearing a pair of dark blue jeans, a light blue hoodie, and had white hair.

"Jack?" Gemma asked. She stood up after no reply, realizing that Jack would never wear jeans and that the boy had a nice tan. The rain plastered his white hair to his head. She stepped to the left of the young man, looking at his face. She was staring at a green-eyed Jack Frost, she realized. Except for the usual mischief in Jack's eyes was replaced by dullness; this boy was depressed.

The wind began to howl even more, blowing their hair all over the place. The rain spattered against their contrasting skin, her's pale, almost white, and his almost bronze. Gemma was tall, but he was a good 6" taller than she. She pulled her hood off of her face, letting her hair absorb the weather around her. She took a tentative step closer, wondering why he was here.

He stared out at the foggy land below him, the rain soaking his clothes. He looked down and took a step closer to the edge of the cliff. Gemma realized that the boy was thinking about committing suicide. "No, don't, please!" Gemma pleaded, despite knowing that the boy couldn't hear her. "You have so much ahead of you! Don't ruin your life and the lives of others, please!"

He took another step forward.

She stepped beside him and reached out, hoping to stop his advancements. "Please, don't do this!" She was practically wailing now, her accent extremely thick. Her hand went through him. Gemma glanced from her hand to the sky, hoping it was nighttime. "Man in Moon, please do something! I can't watch another person die in front of me again!"

He took another step forward, this time his feet on the edge of the cliff. Gemma watched in horror as the boy paused, looking down below him. _"You have killed people, Gemma…"_ Bloody Mary's words rang in Gemma's ears like church bells. The teenager put his right foot out over the edge, still blankly staring into the grey below him. "No." Gemma whispered, almost overpowered by the strong wind.

The white-haired human suddenly put his foot his foot back on solid ground. A glimmer of hope surged through Gemma, hoping he had changed his mind. A faint hint of a smile came across her face as the boy paused again, her faith in the boy's emotions rising. The wind continued to howl as he continued to stare down at the fog.

Then he leaned forward, and fell over the edge of the 100' cliff.

* * *

**Yes, it's confusing and dark and sad and I'm sorry! :(**

**Anyways, please review! It helps and I enjoy it!**

**:)**


	22. Pain

**Chapter 22: Pain**

"NO!" Gemma screeched. She dove over the cliff after the now screaming teenager. Keeping her body straight as an arrow, she pelted at him from above. In seconds, she was grabbing his flailing body in a bear hug. Desperately, she tried to use her weakening powers to call on a cloud. Since Pitch's attack, her powers were becoming harder and harder to control, especially with her emotions storming inside her.

But now Gemma was trying unsuccessfully to get a cloud below them. They were speeding at the grey below, which terrified both of them since they did not know how much father down it was to the ground. She finally forced almost all of her energy into making the puff of condensation, stopping them with a grunt as they hit it.

Gemma glanced around her to see that they were just above the fog, and relief washed over her as the cloud began to rise. She kept her eyes upwards as the cloud gained altitude, slowly moving faster. The boy she had just saved lay on the cloud, shaking from the obvious shock he was experiencing. As they neared the top, Gemma glanced at him, smiling with relief when she realized he was alive.

That smile disappeared as soon as it appeared, though. The cloud vaporized beneath them, making them shriek in terror as their hearts went into their throats. Free falling, they separated and flipped through the air, pummeling towards the ground. Gemma was too horrified to do anything for a few moments, but seeing the look on the teenager's face snapped her back into reality.

She tried once again to make a cloud, but too much of her energy had been used. She couldn't do it. But she had to do _something_. Gemma dove down and grabbed the boy's arm, not sure of what else she could do. She wrapped her other arm around him in a hug, hoping it would bring some comfort as the grey fog below them got closer. _I'm sorry, _Gemma thought,_ I thought I could save you._

Then, as if by magic, they slowed to a stop. Gemma and the teenager looked up in shock, suddenly feeling the strong wind around them. _The wind. Of course! _Gemma's spirits soared at the thought. She could control the wind at her pleasure, but it had a mind of its own. Luckily, the pair had become good friends over the years, and the wind would help in a time of need.

Slowly, they began to float up again, clinging to each other as the gales carried them to the top of the cliff. Exhausted, they both collapsed on the wet grass. The rain stopped, as did the wind, which left the pair side by side, gasping for breath. The white-haired human was still in shock, trying to comprehend everything that had happened in the past few minutes. He stared at the sky for a long moment, then stared at Gemma.

She, meanwhile, was lying on her stomach. _I saved him! _She thought._ He didn't die! _She let out a little laugh of relief, smiling. She glanced over at the boy and sat up next to him. She just simply stared, thinking he couldn't see her. After giving her an odd look back, he finally said something. "Um, thanks?"

Gemma's mouth dropped open in shock. Did he just thank her? "You, you can see me?" "Of course I can! Why wouldn't I be able to?" His accent revealed his Australian roots, and he cocked his head to the side. Albeit, Gemma could tell he was still confused, but she was too overjoyed to explain anything.

"You can see me? You believe in me?" "Yes, of course. What do you mean 'you believe in me'?" Gemma laughed, she had a believer! She wrapped her arms around him in a hug. He didn't return it, still baffled at what was going on, but she didn't care. Finally, she was able to calm herself down a bit and let go. "I'm sorry I should explain. My name is Gemma, Gemma Fogg. I'm-" "Wait, you mean _you're_ Gemma Fogg?" The surprise in his voice surprised her.

This time he was the one laughed. "I didn't believe Bunny when he told me there was a new Guardian." He let out some air. "Now I kind of have to." He glanced up at her, a smirk on his face. "You know, for a spirit, you're very pretty." He scoffed. "Better than Bunny, anyways." Gemma was flattered and blushed, but was still a little surprised. She wasn't expecting him to start flirting right away, much less believe in her. She changed the subject.

"So, wait, how do you know Bunny?" He smiled and pointed off in the distance. "I live a couple kilometers that way. Bunny and I have always been close, because he leaves the Warren from in there." He pointed into the forest. "I haven't been able to get inside, but he keeps me updated with visits." "Oh."

Gemma said it half-heartedly, because her mind was still reeling. Someone believed in her! And it was a human! She had stopped someone from killing themselves! She had saved someone's life other than the baby! She _really was_ a Guardian! She glanced at the Moon, which was peeking through the clouds. He looked at it with her, realizing he'd completely figure out what was going on later. She sighed, smiling at the light in the sky. She was finally willing to accept her life as a member of the Guardians of Childhood.

Suddenly remembering the Guardians, Gemma decided to stand. "I should be going." She pushed herself up off the ground, preparing to leave. Then it hit her. Pain, as if she had been stabbed. "Oo." She held her stomach, buckling her body at the pang. The teenager stepped forward, putting his hand on her back. "Gemma, you alright?"

She didn't answer, the agony taking over. She knelt onto the ground and wretched, throwing up what little food she had in her stomach. She felt weak, so weak that she couldn't hold herself up. She collapsed into the puke, moaning as she folded her body into a fetus position. "Gemma!" The Jack look-a-like knelt down next to her, worried and confused.

She thought she hear him say something about Bunnymund, but she couldn't decipher the words. Constant stabs of pain kept hitting her all over her body, making it seem like there was no relief in sight. "Ugh." She struggled to roll over, trying to look at the Moon. It was the only comfort she could find, the moonbeams shining on her even paler skin.

There. Was that a word? The Man in the Moon was saying something to her, but it was hard to hear. She tried to lean forward, trying to understand what he was staying. "Gemma, no." Gently, the green-eyed Jack pushed her back down. There it was again! She couldn't make out what he was trying to say to her.

Then she could feel it happening again. The oncoming apprehension that she had felt earlier. She tried to fight it, but was too weak. As a familiar Australian voice echoed in her ears, everything went black.

* * *

**Huge thank you to Girl of Twilight Wings for notifying me that this was in computer code.**

**Sorry, I didn't realize this.**

**Anyways, hey all, please review! It helps (haha) and I enjoy it!**

**:)**


	23. Screams

**Chapter 23: Screams**

After watching Jack storm out, Bunnymund turned on Tooth and let her have it. He'd had become extremely defensive of Jack and Gemma after what had happened with Pitch. "Tooth, how could you do something like that?" She looked a little surprised, "Bunny, I can't see her-" "We all know you can't see her, Tooth. But we also know _why_ you can't see her." The look on her face flashed from apprehension to faked confidence.

"Oh really? Then why don't I believe in this '_Gemma Fogg'_?" The saucy way she said the girl's name made him even angrier. He hardened his face to make his point clear. "You don't believe in her," he paused pointing at her, "because you want Jack for yourself." Her face said it all. He shook his head. "Honestly, Tooth, I'm disappointed. You knew what happened to Jamie, and then go right along and break Jack's heart a second time. What kind of a Guardian does that? We promised each other years ago to support one another, no matter what. You _broke_ that promise."

After an awkward pause, North spoke, putting his big hand on her shoulder. "Tooth, Bunny is right. What you did was wrong." The poor woman, realizing what she had done, looked defeated and then almost depressed, ashamed of what she had done. Sandy floated next to her, but looked from her to Bunny. He wasn't sure of what he could do.

The Guardian of Hope felt bad for blaming Tooth, but then again he couldn't bear to watch anyone, even the annoying Jack Frost, being hurt. This especially went to the Guardians, considering the oath they had made to each other after they came together. After the kids, the Guardians were to protect each other at _all_ _costs, _even if they didn't agree. Bunnymund opened him mouth to speak, but North gave him a death glare. Santa turned to Tooth again. "IF you love Jack," he said, "you would go apologize. He would be happy."

Tooth wrapped her arms around herself self-consciously, staring at the ground. "I know." Bunny noticed that her wings weren't fluttering as fast as normal. Boy, she was really beating herself up about this. Of course, he couldn't imagine what she was thinking, or for sure what she was going through emotionally. He would've said something comforting, or tried to, but the warning glare from North had shut him up.

Tooth turned to leave, but fell to the ground instead. Sandy had hit her with some dream sand, making her fall asleep at their feet. A little surprised, Bunny and North turned to the little yellow man. He made some kind of a storm form above his head, reminding them that Jack was probably nowhere near approachable. He was a teenager, but a dangerous one, and even the Guardians had to be careful around him. Bunny recalled that nobody could stand the below freezing temperatures, especially Tooth, who had nothing to really keep her warm. He nodded to Sandy.

"Good idea, mate." He picked Tooth up and handed her to North. "You should take her up to the Pole. It'll be easier for her to get to Jack from there." North gave him a stern look. "Bunny, what you said hurt her very badly." Although he wanted to argue that North's words hurt just as much as his, the rabbit didn't want to talk about it, either. "North, we don't have time for this! We've got two emotionally unstable teenagers out there that _we're_ responsible for and one of 'em could turn into one of Pitch's minions. We can't wait and see what's going to happen."

Sandy flew by his side and gave a confirming nod; North noticed and reluctantly agreed with his own. Bunny decided to take charge. "Alright, you fellas take Tooth to the Pole and when Jack's done storming she can go talk to him." He received some curious looks. "And you?" North asked. "I'll go find Gemma and bring her over." North gave him an apprehensive frown, his eyebrows furrowing. "But Bunny, she could be _anywhere_ in the world." The Australian gave the Russian a smug look.

"Ah, but did you see which tunnel she went through?" He pointed as North and Sandy turned to stare at the tunnel entrances, pointing out the one two over from the right. _Australia_. "If there's any place I know better than here, it's just through that tunnel. I'll find her, easy." North thought about what his friend had to say. He turned, saying, "Ok. Sa-"

"SHHHHHHHHHH!" Bunny suddenly hushed him. He'd heard something, but North had stepped on it. He listened for it again, taking some steps towards the tunnels on his hind paws. "Bunny, what-" The Pooka glared at him. "Shut it!" he whisper-yelled. There it is again. Screams? No, that couldn't be. Unless… He hopped over to the entrance of the tunnel, listening intently and sniffing the air.

A sea of scents wafted into his nose, varying from dingoes to kangaroos to flowers to rain. There were two other smells that struck him. One was very strong, and had a hint of rain in it. _Gemma_. And there was someone with her. The other odor was faint and seemed dusty, but was strong enough and so familiar to him that he knew instantly who it was. "Jed?" he asked himself, surprised.

Then something echoed through the burrow, more screams. This time they were doubled and full of sheer terror. Chills ran up Bunny's spine. What was going on up there? He sprung into the tunnel, racing to the end as fast as he could. He could hear North yelling after him. "Go on without me, mate!" he called without stopping. "Meet you at the Pole!"

Bunny kept his speed constant as he ran through the tunnel. He was worried, but he knew better than to try and sprint. If he did, his energy would be shot when he got to the end. He lunged off of the wall as he made a left turn, so familiar with the passage that he knew he'd exit in a few more hops.

He didn't.

Instead, he collided with a dark figure.

Bunny summersaulted to the ground as he knocked the figure over. "Oof!" He sat up, facing the end of the tunnel. It was about 50 yards away, but instead of continuing on he turned around. As he spun, he pulled out his boomerangs in defense, not knowing who to expect. He was surprised to see, or, not see anything. Nothing. There was _nothing_ there.

_What the…? _He thought. He had just crashed into someone, he was sure of it. _I'm going starkers._ He sniffed the air again. He could smell the same things as earlier, but there was one that was very strong. Heavy condensation, and it wasn't because of the dying storm outside. There were clouds _inside_ the tunnel.

Had he ran into a cloud? No, that was impossible. Clouds could only be in the sky. Unless, of course, Gemma had something to do with this, which he doubted. More chills ran up his spine when he thought of another option. It scared him so much that he didn't want to think about it. He shivered, suddenly noticing his grey fur was soaked. _Oh no, it better not-_

His thoughts were cut off by a familiar sound. A rough female voice rang in his ears. "You're too late." Eerily, the voice echoed throughout the underground passageway. Bunny's head spun around in fear, his eyes wide. He knew that voice, it was one who had haunted him from time to time since the late 1550s. He forced himself to keep calm, thinking about what she had said as he tried to put on a brave face. "What do ya mean I'm too late?"

Mechanical laughter was his answer. At first, it was quiet, and slowly got louder and louder until Bunny thought his eardrums would explode. It surrounded him on all sides, making him feel like he was in the bell tower of the Notre Dame on Easter Sunday. He dropped his boomerangs to cover his ears, trying to block the sound and keep away insanity. He screamed.

The cackling. The words. It was all too familiar. The memory of that day was slowly eating him alive. The fight with Pitch in England, and the voice in his head telling him he was too late. The torture of Pitch's laughter as Bunny made a tunnel to the Warren. Seeing his father lying in the river of red water, his blood mixing with the dye. Not hearing a heartbeat, not feeling a pulse. Hearing the maleficent words over and over again in his head.

Then anger. He cursed Pitch for killing his father. He started attacking anything that moved, even the eggs he'd been painstakingly working on for the past month. He attacked the other Guardians, terrifying them into submission. He wouldn't let anyone come near him, and wouldn't listen to the Moon, either. He stayed in the Warren, letting his outrage take control, planning on revenge.

Slowly, blame came to himself. He never should have left his father alone. Dad should've gone with him to fight Pitch, and maybe he'd still be alive. His dad had been the best fighter he'd known, but all alone was no match for the powerful Boogeyman. Bunny knew he'd fought bravely, by the looks of the Warren afterwards, but he still blamed himself for everything. A mix of depression and anger started kicking in.

After a few weeks, reality hit him with a punch in the face. North had paid him a visit, surprising the rabbit from behind. Bunny lunged at him, screaming out in his anger. The big man simply socked him, knocking him into oblivion, and then took him to the Pole. Once there, he woke up inside the infirmary. Sandy was by his side, and pointed to the glowing orb in the night sky. The Man in the Moon spoke to him with words of comfort, and had made him feel a little better. He went back to the Warren and thrust himself into work for Easter.

Afterwards, though, depression still gnawed at him, and it came in droves. On and off, the woman's voice returned. It haunted him. It gave him nightmares. But he wouldn't let her get to him. He fought it off by throwing himself into work. He kept his mind busy, and kept the woman at bay.

It was the same with his fellow Guardians. He never let the others see his sadness, and as far as he knew, they didn't suspect a thing. He'd put on a brave face and push it away. And after Jack had joined them, the voice never came back. Until now. Despite trying to silence it with a scream, he could still hear the laughter. Mocking him. Threatening to tear him apart. It was pushing him to the brink.

He ran. Shaking in terror, he sprinted towards the light. 40 yards. It was getting louder. 30 yards. Louder still. 20 yards. It changed. The cackle turned into a laughter that sounded like a low rumble. Dad. It was his father. His dad was coming after him. And howls. Dingoes. 10 yards. He felt something brush across his neck, and the pants of wild dogs. "NO!"

* * *

**Ugh. I hated writing this because it isn't what I had planned for this chapter. At all.**

**Ugh why do I do this to myself?**

**And the scene in the tunnel was extremely hard to describe, I'm not satisfied with it at all.**

**I mean, Bunny was in _sheer terror,_**

**he was going _insane,_**

**this cackle was surrounding him _on all sides._**

**He couldn't get away from it,**

**he couldn't get away from his past,**

**he couldn't stop it.**

**I couldn't put into words how terrifying it was for him,**

_**that's**_** the way it's supposed to be.**

**(Sorry, had to rant.)**

**Also, I've already started the next chapter**

**(from what I outlined it was all going to be one, but I had to split it)**

**so I'll post that as soon as I can (possibly tonight).**

**I'll take my break after that.**

**Anyways, please review! It helps and I enjoy it!**

**:)**


	24. You And What Army?

**Chapter 24: You And What Army?**

Bunnymund tumbled out of the tunnel, blinded by the sudden flash of light. He rolled in the grass, relieved to be out of the nightmarish situation. He immediately sat up, panting, holding his head in is paws. It was terrifying, and so _real_. After 70 years she came back with the brute force of a sandstorm, more powerful than ever. She'd even used the object of his depression against him, his father. It tortured him.

He then noticed the Moon above, it was nighttime. How had it been so bright? He must've been too absorbed in his emotions. In fact, he was still reeling from them. His thoughts were momentarily paused, though, when he heard something from the sky. "Remember Gemma, Aster, she needs your help." Bunny shot a glance into the sky. The voice was that of the Man in the Moon. The soothing voice calmed him down, and he suddenly remembered why he'd originally left the Warren.

Bunny shook his head, snapping himself back into his mission. He stood up, sniffing the midnight air and listening for any sign of the Scott. Her scent was strong, but she wasn't making a sound. Odd, considering how she'd left his home. He expected her to be crying. Then he heard someone calling his name. "Bunny!"

He ran towards the voice, instantly recognizing it. He quickly came to the edge of the 100' cliff where he so often sat and talked with the Moon, noticing two teenagers. One was lying in some puke, which made him wrinkle his nose in disgust. When he took a second look, though, he recognized the pale skin and fiery red hair. Gemma. And the other one was an all too familiar friend, so familiar he was more like a son to Bunny. Jedidiah White.

Jed, as Bunny called him, was kneeling next to Gemma, looking utterly confused. When he saw the rabbit, a half-hearted grin came across his tan face. "Bunny!" The teenaged boy ran over, wrapping him up in a hug. "I knew you'd come!" he said into the fur on his friend's chest. Bunny returned the hug, trying to comfort the boy. "Of course I'd come and see ya. It's been awhile."

He smiled at the tall green-eyed boy, then frowned at him. "Alright, what happened?" The look on the human's face sobered. "I came over here to think about some things…and…uh…" Bunny gave him a hard look. "What happened, Jed? I need to know." Jed looked away, obviously not liking what he was about to say. "I, um, I fell off the cliff."

Shock hit Bunny with a force like one of North's punches. Instantly, worry took over. "Jed, you weren't trying to kill yourself now, were you?" He'd known the boy suffered from depression, like he'd had, but wouldn't dream of it taking the white-haired Aussie over. When the teen didn't meet his gaze, his worries were confirmed. "Jed, look at me."

After a pause, their eyes met. Tears started to fall down the sixteen-year-old's face like a waterfall. "I, I'm sorry. I couldn't take it any longer. I miss her!" Jed began to sob, which was so unlike him but had become so frequent in recent years. He'd just recently lost his mother after an 8 year battle with MS. He'd watched his mother slowly die in front of him, watching helplessly as she slowly lost her mind. She didn't go crazy, she would just forget things, but it still was a horrible, _horrible_ thing to watch.

It had taken its toll on Jed. He remembered his mom from before she was diagnosed, but the woman had been a drug addict, so she wasn't always there. And before he had been born, she'd been an alcoholic. The addictions had nearly destroyed her brain, and it was hard to watch Jed live with her and his father. No matter what he did, it seemed to the teen, it was wrong. In some cases, Bunny had to agree with him.

The woman that his father had fallen in love with wasn't the woman Jed knew, and Bunny even remembered her. She was shockingly different. She had been an amazing athlete, kicking everyone's butt in anything she tried. She was caring and sweet, and would've been an amazing mother. Then she started drinking, and the ball started rolling downhill. She never recovered, even after Jed was born. In fact, it got worse.

It didn't help that she was forced into a wheelchair towards the end of her life, for fear of her killing herself by accident. Unfortunately, that's what happened. She fell and hit her head on something, killing herself on impact. And that was the reason why Jed had been scared. He never had anyone over, especially after his mom had fallen down the stairs on his 11th birthday. He didn't even have a 16th birthday party last year because he was afraid of something happening to her in front of what little friends he did have. It was heartbreaking.

Bunny hated watching Jed live like this. Life wasn't fair, but it shouldn't be this way. Full of suffering, and pain, and picking up your mother after she fell out of the bathtub. Cleaning up after her messes, being yelled at, feeling unloved. She'd had the choice to change her life, exercise, get healthy, quit smoking, quit spending money on things she didn't need. But it seemed her motto was "I can do it tomorrow," and poor Jed took it very personally. Soon began to feel like his mom didn't love him, even though he loved her.

Bunny had taken Jed's mother's place in his life, or at least tried to. He cared for him, watched him grow up, and practically raised him. He truly loved the boy the way he should've been, and he never gave up trying to fill the empty place in the fellow Aussie's heart. Bunny's center was hope, and that was what he tried to give the boy along with love. But it hadn't been enough.

The Guardian of Hope grabbed Jed and pulled him into a bear hug. "I know you do, and you don't deserve the life you have." He felt warm tears seep into his fur as Jed let out another sob. He squatted down so that he was eyelevel with the teen, and stared into his green eyes. "But you can't give up. You can't give up on your dad, you can't give up on me, you can't give up on the Guardians, and you can't give up on life. You hear me? You can't give up on hope."

Jed nodded, tears still streaming down his face. "OK." "I'm serious, Jed. If you ever need me, just use the bullroarer and I'll come running. No matter what. I promise." Bunny wiped the tears off of his tan face. "Now, how are you still alive?" It was weird asking him the question, but it needed to be asked. Jed glanced at Gemma's motionless body. "Gemma saved me."

Once again, Bunny was shocked. He glanced from her, to him, and back again. He hopped over to the girl, and was relieved to see that she was still breathing. "She, she saved you? How?" "She grabbed me and made a cloud below us. But I think her powers were weak because it vaporized as we neared the top, but then the wind brought us back up here." He gave Gemma a look of gratefulness, following it with a frown. "But then she threw up and collapsed. She tried to get up, but I wouldn't let her. Something's wrong with her." He gave Bunny a confused look. "I thought you said she was lively?"

Bunny wasted no time in looking Gemma over. "She usually is. She likes to pull pranks, like Frost. He's her boyfriend, by the way." He noticed a disappointed look on Jed's face. He would've teased him about it, but let it slide. Pitch's power had been in Gemma for too long; he needed to get her to the Pole. He was about to pick her up when a thought struck him.

"Wait, she grabbed you? She didn't pass through you?" "No, quite frankly she had this epiphany and wouldn't stop hugging me. It was weird." Bunny stared at Jed, then glanced to Gemma. "What?" the teen was curious. Bunny turned back to him. "Jed, you're her first believer." His eyes widened in surprise. "You, you mean…" He glanced down at Gemma, then shook his head. "That explains a lot."

"Yes, it does." Bunny's head shot up at the voice. British. Female. Rough. It was the same voice that'd been haunting him for 500 years. The voice that had been tearing him apart. Bloody Mary. The small woman sat on a large black stallion, glaring down at them with her piercing eyes. The moonlight cast long shadows across her face, making her seem even more intimidating. Clouds billowed upwards from behind her, threatening to take out the only light to see by.

Jed took a step towards Bunny, obviously scared of the woman. Before either of them could say anything, though, Mary spoke. "So Mistress Fogg finally has someone believing in her? How sweet." She looked Jed over. "Handsome, I might add. She made a good choice." "What do you want, you bastard?" Bunny spat, stepping between her and Jed. Wrong thing to say.

"That is the last time you disrespect your Queen, rabbit!" The scream echoed over the cliff. A storm broke out above them, lightning cracking and thunder booming. The wind picked up. Bunny and Jed spun around, wide-eyed with fear. Mary began to laugh. That laugh. The same one that had been haunting him. The one he'd heard in the tunnel. Dad. Bunnymund tried to cover his ears, screaming in pain. He couldn't bare it much longer.

"Bunny?!" Jed yelled over the wind. The rabbit glanced at him, not wanting the teen to see himself like this. Jed's face was screwed in confusion and fear. Mary's laughter died down with the wind. "Oh, Jedidiah, Mister Bunny didn't tell you? He's been depressed for 500 years because of me! I've been haunting him with the death of his very own father." Jed stepped back in shock, then looked at him. "What?"

"That is correct. I, Bloody Mary, have been tearing the strongest Guardian apart at the seams without the knowledge of anyone. For his pride would not let him ask for help." Bunny glanced back at Jed, who looked a little betrayed. He realized that he could've told Jed about Mary, about his own fight, and maybe Jed could've helped him. Actually, in truth, Jed had helped. He opened his mouth to speak.

"Of course, he could have told you about me. Why he did not I do not understand. BUT I'm not finished, not yet. I have one more thing to do." Bunny glanced at Jed, then glared at her. "And what would that be?" "Oh, I simply cannot have this. As long as Mistress Fogg is alive, no human can believe in her. Her depression feeds me more than both of yours do, combined." Bunny glanced at Gemma, who was to his left, then defiantly back to Mary.

"I'm not letting you take her again, you revolting ratbag!" He tapped his foot, sending the unconscious girl through a tunnel. Mary seemed unmoved. "Bad move, rabbit." Mary looked past him. "It wasn't her I was after." Too late, he realized what she was meaning. He turned just in time to watch as blue lightning shot into Jed's left foot, surge through his body, and out of his open mouth and into the sky. Mary's horse reared in surprise. "NO!" Bunny shouted.

Jed collapsed to the ground, shocks shooting through his body. Quickly, Bunny knelt by the teenager's side. He put his paw on the boy's arm, only to pull it back after he was shocked, crying out in pain. His eyes moved from his paw to the human in horror, realizing that the boy, the boy he had raised, was gone. Forever.

Jedidiah White was dead.

Mary laughed again, but instead of his father's laugh Bunnymund heard Jed's light happy chortle. That was it. He was done playing games. He was finished with playing telephone. He needed his revenge. He stood up, keeping his head down. "I always thought I would take out my revenge on Pitch." He paused to let Mary absorb what he had said. "I will, but right now I'm getting the revenge I should've gotten when I had the chance."

He turned on Mary, reaching behind his head for his boomerangs. His eyes opened almost as wide as his mouth. He didn't feel them. He gasped, patting his body, panic setting in. Where were they? "Looking for these?" He was surprised to see them in Mary's small hands. He then remembered dropping them in the tunnel. He should've guessed that she had them, but the panic had set in.

Mary sat up, looking down at him from her large horse. "Alright, rabbit. I am offering an appeal to you. I give you your precious boomerangs for a piece of information. Then we go our separate ways, and we live on our lives as usual." He stepped forward, reaching for his father's gifts. "What kind of information?" She pulled her horse back, making it neigh. "The location of Mistress Fogg's hideaway."

"Huh?" Bunny was shocked. He was expecting the location of Pitch's hideaway, Jack, or even the Pole. Why would she want the location of Gemma's home? "You heard me." He decided to play dumb. "Uh, no I didn't, actually. Can you run that by me again?" He leaned forward, putting his right paw behind his back. Mary was annoyed. "Do I need to be blunter? Gemma's home. Her forest. Where you found her." He found what he was looking for.

"Ah, Gemma's lake. I can give you directions." He put out his left paw. "But I'm gonna need my boomerangs back, first." Mary looked surprised for a moment, but it went away in a flash. "You realize that I'm only asking you because I have the upper hand. Either you give me the location of that lake, or your pieces of wood are turned to sawdust. I can attack you easily, you would be defenseless." Did he hear what he thought he just heard? _Her_, a 5' woman, attack _him_, a 6'1" warrior Pooka with a black belt in Thai Chi?

Bunny laughed, still keeping his right paw behind his back. "You and what army?" "What army? _What army?_" Mary laughed, it still sounding just like Jed's. He glanced around him, looking for whatever "army" she had. She sobered immediately. "Oh, I know what rabbits fear." A pause, and then he heard it. Growling. Panting. Claws scratching against rock.

It was like some horror movie. Dogs crawled over the edge of the cliff. Big ones. Wolves. Their red eyes glowed in the night, ready for the hunt. Mary's stone face never changed as her horse pawed the ground, knowing very well what would happen next. Bunny glanced around nervously, counting about 30 wolves stalking him. He felt his fur stand up, and his ears twitched in all directions.

"I recall telling you that if I had my dogs with me, I'd be having you for dinner. If you _don't_ tell me the location, I will enjoy a hunt tonight. If you do, I will call off my hunt." She moved to a more comfortable position in her saddle. "Your choice."

* * *

**Ok c'est Chapter 24!**

**I'm sorry I kinda lied to you guys, but I had to finish it here, not at Ch 23.**

**I hope you guys don't mind if I take my break now. I need to work in school.**

**So 2-3 week break for now! Until then:**

**Please review! It helps and I enjoy it!**

**:)**


	25. Finding Jack

**Chapter 25: Finding Jack**

Baby Tooth struggled to fly against the storm. Although her body was telling her to stop, she knew that she would be thrown into the snow if she did. She could already feel herself getting weaker, succumbing to the cold, and if she fell into the white stuff that would be the end of her. She had been searching for Jack for hours, trying to find him in the blinding snowstorm. It was nearly impossible to move through the storm, let alone find someone, but she didn't give up. Not after what had happened.

Baby Tooth had tried to keep up with everything that was going on, but things had happened so fast that she had no idea what had happened to Gemma. She hadn't even met the girl yet and already she was hurt twice. And then there was Bloody Mary. And then Pitch came into play. It was confusing, but that didn't matter right now. She had to find Jack. She had to help him in any way she could. He was her best friend; she couldn't just sit there when she found out how hurt Jack was. She had gone to find him.

So now the miniature fairy was struggling through the blizzard. This one was different from the usual ones. Something was wrong with Jack, and he seemed to be terrified, she could tell. She couldn't explain it, but there was something about the way the snow was falling, the extremely dark clouds barely visible above, the temperatures that cut one to the bone, and the sharp wind stabbing her tiny body that told her. It sounded crazy, but it was true.

Soon everything seemed to be getting stronger as Baby Tooth flew against the buffeting winds. She realized that she was close to the center of the storm. She couldn't give up, no matter how tired and cold she was. Jack needed her, she wasn't going to disappoint him. Not now. Not ever. She had always felt like a kind of Guardian Angel to him, watching over and giving him advice when he needed it. She was going to find him, even if she gave up everything else to succeed.

Then something strange happened, and it occurred so fast that Baby Tooth almost didn't believe it. The storm stopped, if only for a second. In the fracture of time, the wind stopped blowing. The snow stopped falling. It was like a glitch in a video game. She almost fell into the snow in surprise, but caught herself and shook her head instead. The storm started again, not as strong now, but the event still confused her. What was going on with Jack?

That wasn't the only thing Baby Tooth had noticed. Something else was there, and she didn't like it. A big black horse stared down at the bottom of a hill a few yards away, watching something. A Nightmare. Pitch knew what was going on, and had sent it to watch the Winter Guardian, she realized. She pushed herself, growing even more tired at every wing beat. She was almost out of what little energy she had left. She had to find Jack now.

Luckily, the storm was growing weaker as she moved closer to where the sandy figure had been. She kept lowering her altitude at sudden intervals while she flew, struggling to stay in the air. There was no way she was going to be able to keep this up, nor walk in the snow, but with good luck she had reached the spot where the Nightmare had been. It had disappeared, but she didn't notice when she saw Jack.

Baby Tooth squeaked in joy when she saw him, and immediately pelted down the hill to him. Seeing the teenager had given her a little more energy and renewed her spirit. Jack tossed and turned in the snow, fast asleep and fighting off another Nightmare. She realized that Pitch was the cause of the storm, striking fear into the poor boy's heart. The mini-fairy immediately raged with anger. How could he do this to Jack?

The mini Tooth finally got close to Jack as he shot up with a scream. She squeaked in his face, worriedly checking him over for injuries. "Baby Tooth!" Jack said. "How, how did you find me?" She squeaked her reply, explaining that there was no time for that. She told him about the Nightmare that had been watching him. Jack frowned, then scrambled for his staff, which was lying partially buried in the snow nearby.

As he did so, Baby Tooth collapsed into the snow, completely buried. Her energy was gone. From beneath the surface, she could hear Jack call her name and felt him pick her up. She shivered at his touch, a sneeze escaping her as she was lifted out of the frozen water. "Baby Tooth! Are you OK?" She could barely keep her eyes open, she was so weak. Jack closed his hands around her tiny body, trying to keep her warm.

"I gotta get you somewhere warm," he said. Baby Tooth felt herself being put into the pocket of Jack's sweatshirt. "Don't worry, I got you." She suddenly felt herself lurch with Jack, being raised into the air. Jack was flying into the sky, but there was a problem. The wind from Jack's flight penetrated easily through the cloth and in through the openings of the pocket.

She felt herself getting colder, getting weaker. The wind cut through her, through her feathers, through her skin, and deep into her bones. She knew she wouldn't last long, but was too weak to refuse. She felt the darkness closing in.

Then everything went black.

MEANWHILE

Tooth fluttered around the globe, nervously thinking about what was soon to happen. How was she going to explain her feelings to Jack? She hadn't meant for Gemma to run away, at least that was what North told her when she woke up. Would he forgive her for it? Would he even listen to her? _"Thanks for nothing, Tooth. You've ruined my life, as if it wasn't bad enough with Jamie gone. Good luck trying to speak to me again."_ Jack's words haunted her. How was she going to fix this, with Pitch around the corner?

A fairy stopped in front of her, expecting orders. Tooth gave her a sad look of confusion, forgetting her job, but then remembered. "Berlin. East side. Sector 1." The fairy paused, giving her a sad look. Word had spread quickly among the little creatures, and they all knew everything that had happened. The mini-Tooth flew to her leader's shoulder, attempting to sit on it. She was trying to make Tooth feel better.

Although she was touched, Toothiana sent the fairy away. She couldn't let them see her like this. Sandy appeared with a cup of eggnog, staring up at her with concern. He had been there when she woke up, and was still worried about what was going to happen next. Tooth fluttered down to him. "Sandy, I don't know what to do! I, I didn't mean to hurt Jack like I did, but…"

Sandy held up a hand, making her stop talking. She could tell he meant that she would know what to say when the time came. It didn't make her feel better, though. "I know," she said, fluttering around nervously. "I just…" She cut herself off when she saw the tunnel. The hole had appeared at the center of the room, just below where Sandy and Tooth had been talking. Or, rather where the fairy had been worrying to the Sandman.

From where they were, the Guardians couldn't see inside the tunnel, since it was so dark, but they expected Bunny to hop out with Gemma in his arms in any second. After a few seconds, the pair shared a worried glance. Where was Bunnymund? Tooth was about to say something when they heard the pitter patter of tiny feet. Their first thought was rats, but as the objects came into view they realized it was eggs. And the eggs were carrying a passed out Gemma.

Sandy gasped when he saw the Scott. She was extremely pale with large black patches all over her body, her usually fiery red hair now a dull light brown color. The girl's clothes were wrinkled and covered in dirt and vomit, which gave off an awful smell. Her eyes were shut, and she lay limply across the little eggs, neither making a sound nor moving. The eggs carried her to a nearby couch, where immediately Sandy was by her side. Tooth, meanwhile, had hovered silently as they had walked in, still unable to see the girl.

Toothiana watched as Sandy waved her over, unwilling to move. He glared at her, pointing out that if she wanted to make amends with Jack she would have to accept his girlfriend. He turned his back to put his hand on Gemma's forehead, and Tooth quietly came up behind him. Sandy grabbed the Guardian of Memories' hand and gently placed it on the teenager's forehead.

At first, Tooth was afraid that her hand would pass through Gemma, who she still couldn't see. But as she placed her hand down, she could feel soft hair and skin. Going out from her touch, Tooth began to see the shape of a young teenaged girl. The imaged developed like a hologram, appearing and disappearing before reappearing once more. Tooth gasped and jumped back in shock.

Gemma's dreams had come true. Tooth had believed. She believed in Gemma Fogg. She could see her. She could touch her. To the Guardian, the Scott was alive. "Gemma, I'm so sorry for what I did," the Guardian said. "It was wrong of me. Please, wake up!"

There was no response.

* * *

**OK everyone I am _SO SORRY_ for not updating this story.**

**School's been kicking my butt and the past couple chapters made me really depressed.**

**Sorry about that. But hey, I'm back!**

**Anyways, please review!**

**It helps and I enjoy it!**

**:)**


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